CEO of the plant Maritsa East Krasimir Nenov said that the past 2020 presented serious challenges that did not pass the plant, which had to find fast and sustainable solutions to ensure the safety of employees and the capacities’ reliable operation in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic. He noted that the plant works exceptionally reliably and contributes its share to the stability of the energy system of the country.
Coal-fired thermal power plant Maritsa East 3, owned and operated by US company ContourGlobal, generated almost 11 % of the total electricity produced in Bulgaria in 2020, enough to cover annual needs of about a million of Bulgarian households.
ContourGlobal Maritsa East 3 owns and operates the first lignite coal-fired thermal power plant in southeastern Europe, which operates in full compliance with the highest European standards for occupational safety and environmental protection. The 908 MW plant generates about 10 % of the electricity in Bulgaria, using local energy sources and thus contributes to guaranteeing the energy security and independence of the country. The plant produced 11 % of Bulgaria’s electricity in 2019 (4.55 TWh). The shareholders are ContourGlobal with 73 % stake and the National Electricity Company (NEK) with 27 % stake.