Bulgaria receives €109 million from the EU for modernization of its energy system

Bulgaria is at the center of the new wave of energy investments on the Old Continent, after two key projects with a total value of €108.5 million, in which we are participating, were officially approved for European funding. These initiatives are part of a total of 14 strategic cross-border projects supported by the Connecting Europe Facility (CEF), which aim to transform the Union's energy infrastructure and ensure lower prices for consumers.

The most significant success for our country is the CARMEN smart grid project, which is being implemented in partnership with Romania. Nearly €104 million in grant funding has been allocated for the modernization and complete digitization of transmission and distribution networks. This investment will enable the regional energy system to absorb much larger amounts of clean energy from renewable sources, while at the same time increasing the security of supply for households and businesses.

In parallel with the renovation of the electricity transmission network, Bulgaria is also laying the foundations for its future hydrogen economy. Over €4.5 million has been approved for detailed studies on the country's internal hydrogen infrastructure. This funding is a critical step towards the decarbonization of Bulgarian industry and will enable our country to integrate into the emerging pan-European market for clean fuels.

These two projects are part of a broader investment package worth a total of nearly €650 million aimed at strengthening Europe's energy independence. Under the same decision, funds are being allocated to innovative projects such as the huge "water battery" in Spain, the protection of critical infrastructure in the Baltic states from cyber threats, and the first underground hydrogen storage facility in Germany. These are joined by ambitious plans for energy connectivity between Greece and Egypt, which complete the mosaic of trans-European networks.

Following the positive vote by Member States in mid-January, the official signing of the grant agreements is expected in the coming weeks.

Translated with DeepL.

Co-Funded by the European Union. Views and opinions expressed are however those of the author(s) only and do not necessarily reflect those of the European Union. The European Union cannot be held responsible for them.