New power corridors: Bulgaria presses EU on grids as Turkic states back corridor
Energy Minister Iva Petrova called in Luxembourg for transparent network tariffs and faster grid projects. The Turkic states back an Azerbaijan–Georgia–Türkiye–Bulgaria energy corridor.
Symbolic image · Photo: Simon Koopmann / Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 3.0 de (cropped and resized)
At the EU Energy Council in Luxembourg, Bulgarian Energy Minister Iva Petrova presented a joint position of Bulgaria and Slovakia, supported by Czechia, Greece, Poland and Romania. On the proposed regulation on affordable electricity bills, Bulgaria backs greater transparency in network tariffs and the independence of national regulators. Sofia wants concrete proposals from the Commission, including an initiative for tripartite agreements on electricity grids, as well as more flexible and faster state aid procedures.
Bulgaria is promoting the Vertical Gas Corridor, the East–West and North–South electricity corridors and "green" energy routes from the Caspian region. Petrova highlighted the role of energy storage and supported innovative financing for cross-border projects. "We expect an adequate assessment of Bulgarian projects applying for funding under the Connecting Europe Facility," she said, also mentioning the Yadenitsa project.
In parallel, the Organization of Turkic States backed an energy corridor linking Azerbaijan, Georgia, Türkiye and Bulgaria in its Ankara Declaration. In September, the foreign ministers of Azerbaijan and Türkiye had discussed a new connection through the laying of power cables. Azerbaijani Foreign Minister Jeyhun Bayramov said new green energy projects could unlock considerable potential for alternative energy transmission to Azerbaijani, Turkish and European markets.