Bulgaria’s biggest state-owned coal-fired power plant is set to start co-firing biomass with lignite at the end of February, a move aimed at lowering costs and prolonging the life of the country’s coal assets, Bioenergy Insight reported.
The facility will initially use 5% biomass in its fuel mix, with plans to increase this share to 30% during the trial phase. Officials said switching to wood-based fuel could significantly reduce generation costs once the higher blending ratio is reached.
Energy Minister Zhecho Stankov estimated that electricity prices from the plant could fall by as much as €50 per megawatt hour at the 30% co-firing level, boosting the plant’s competitiveness in the market while keeping demand for domestic lignite steady.
Currently, five of the plant’s eight generating units are operational. The ministry said all units could be running at full capacity within a year if the biomass integration proves successful.
Funding for the necessary handling and combustion equipment could come from the EU’s Just Transition Fund, which has allocated €88 million for Bulgaria’s coal regions. Additional financing may also be sought from commercial lenders depending on project requirements.
Officials have discussed the fuel diversification plan with operators of nearby US-owned plants, including Maritsa-Iztok 1 and Maritsa-Iztok 3, as part of a wider assessment of the Maritsa-Iztok energy complex.
Industry analysts said the trial reflects a practical approach to balancing decarbonisation goals with energy security in regions where coal remains a key economic driver.
