The balance (export - import) of electricity for the period January 1 - October 4 is minus 35.31 percent in Bulgaria

Electricity production is deteriorating. A slight shift forward is observed in consumption, but the balance (export - import) of electricity not only remains negative, but also deteriorates. There is no significant change in the data on the participation of base plants. As in previous reporting periods, renewable energy sources (RES) continue to show high positive results. The indicators for the share of hydropower plants (HPPs) are also better. These are the insights of the operational data of the Electricity System Operator (ESO) for the energy balance of the country for the period January 1 to October 4, 2020, compared to the same period of 2019.

Electricity production from the beginning of January this year until the first four days of October remains on minus. The decline has already reached (minus) 8.19% (minus 8.12% a week ago). For comparison, if during the period from January 1 to October 4 last year (2019) the electricity production reached a volume of 33,316,150 MWh, during the same period of the current (2020) it shrinks to 30,587,133 MWh.

Electricity consumption for the compared period from January to October 4 this year also decreased to a volume of 27,643,101 MWh. A year earlier for the mentioned period the electricity consumption was of the order of 28 765 138 MWh. The decrease, according to the system operator's report, is (minus) 3.90% (minus 3.95% reported a week ago).

The balance (exports-imports) remains negative and deterioration is observed. For comparison, if for the reporting period of the last 2019 the balance (export import) was in the amount of 4,551,012 MWh, then for the same period of the current 2020 it decreased to 2,944,032 MWh. The decline has already reached (minus) 35.31% (minus 34.37 percent a week ago).

The data on the participation of the base plants remain without significant change. For another reporting period, their share remains on minus. For the compared period from January 1 to October 4 of the previous 2019 their participation was at the amount of 28,207,338 MWh. For the same period of the current 2020, this volume is 25,295,609 MWh, which is a decrease (minus) by 10.32 percent (minus 10.18% weeks ago and minus 10.09% two weeks ago).

The positive trend in renewable energy sources (RES) in both the transmission and distribution networks is maintained.

For the period from the beginning of January from the current 2020 to October 4, the share of RES in the transmission network increased by 12.92 percent (plus 12.51% a week ago) and reached a volume of 1,046,862 MWh. For comparison, during the same period of the previous 2019 this volume was 927,061 MWh. The increase in the share of RES in the transmission network is due in particular to the higher share of both wind (plus 16.45%) capacity, but also photovoltaic (plus 10.11%) capacity and biomass (plus 5.01%).

RES in the distribution network for the compared period of this year also have a higher share of 7.65 percent (plus 7.39% a week ago). For example, for the period from January 1 to October 4, 2019, the share of RES in the distribution network was in the order of 1,461,495 MWh. For the comparison reported for the current 2020, the share of RES in the distribution network increases to a volume of 1,573,286 MWh. This growth is due in particular to both the positive share of wind (plus 15.51%) and photovoltaic (plus 4.44%) capacity and biomass (plus 0.75%).

The data on the participation of hydroelectric power plants (HPPs) are definitely better, although they still remain on minus, regardless of the entry into the autumn season, which is usually characterized by higher rainfall. The participation of HPPs for the compared period from January 1 to October 4 this year (2020) is in the amount of 2,671,376 MWh. During the compared period of the previous 2019, the share of hydropower plants was in the range of 2,720,526 MWh. The decline was 1.80% (minus 2.18% reported a week ago).