The energy minister demanded a quick sale of the ContourGlobal Maritsa East 3 TPP so that the plant can continue to operate

The government wants the ContourGlobal Maritsa East 3 TPP to preserve jobs even if this involves changing the majority owner. This became clear from the parliamentary hearing of the Minister of Energy Zhecho Stankov in connection with the information from the company's executive director Vasil Shtonov about suspending the operation of the ContourGlobal Maritsa East 3 TPP by March 31, 2025 and laying off employees working there. The hearing was held at the proposal of the MP from "Morals, Unity, Honor" (MECH) Krasimir Manov, BTA reported.

Stankov noted that he had meetings with the management of the TPP "Contour Global Maritsa East 3" regarding plans for the future of the plant, in which the National Electricity Company (NEC) owns 27 percent. According to the minister, the decisions that were taken back in time by the majority owner show that he has no desire to manage the plant.

Stankov reported that the majority owner has emphasized the position that the plant as a property is damaging his economic situation in connection with the intention to launch a "green bond".

Currently, the majority owner is the American investment fund KKR with 73% of the shares in the company's capital.

The minister noted that during the talks he made it clear that the state wants the plant to be managed by them or another interested party, so that the jobs in it are preserved, as well as the jobs of 6,400-6,500 miners who are employed in the complex, the minister said. He said that the only way the state sees the development of the plant is to preserve its activities. And since the current majority owner does not want to operate it, this should not be associated with "cutting it up for scrap" or eliminating capacities.

However, Stankov announced that yesterday evening he sent a letter to the management of the ContourGlobal Maritsa-East 3 TPP, urging it to take the initiative and contact all possible companies that can operate this plant in a short time. Stankov said that he requested this to happen within the next three weeks.

The energy minister also said that the management of the ContourGlobal Maritsa-East 3 TPP had submitted information to the Ministry of Labor and Social Policy that the employees would keep their jobs until April 1 and then be laid off.

"I, as Minister of Energy, and the government of Rosen Zhelyazkov will not allow these people to leave the plant, because it is worth nothing without them. If we play with the practice of hiring and firing, in the end we will have a plant that will not have people to operate it and will be worth zero," Stankov said.

Experts recall that the sale of energy assets owned by international corporations in less than a month is almost impossible. This leaves the option for the state to take operational control of the plant if the owner KKR agrees to this.

He recalled that the ContourGlobal Maritsa-East 3 TPP is a site of strategic importance, guaranteeing our national security.

Two days ago, Zhecho Stankov told 3eNews that additional energy storage capacities may be installed at the ContourGlobal Maritsa East 3 TPP.

On November 26, 2024, during a site visit, the acting Minister of Energy Vladimir Malinov said that between January 1 and March 31, 2025, the third and fourth units of the ContourGlobal Maritsa East 3 TPP will resume operation. Then the proposal from July 2025 became known. the participation of the state through NEC or another company from the Bulgarian Energy Holding group to be increased both as a shareholder and as operational management of the two units of the plant.

As it becomes clear, the TPP "ContourGlobal Maritsa East 3" will operate until the end of March, after which it is planned to have staff cuts.