US company ContourGlobal owns and operates the first lignite coal-fired thermal power plant in south eastern Europe Maritza East 3. Maritsa East 3, said that it has signed a 8.8 million euros worth agreement with local company Energoremont Galabovo.
The signed contract envisages repairs of the boilers of the plant’s units 1 to 4. TPP Maritsa East 3 relies exclusively on local raw materials for its production, including lignite, extracted at the nearby Maritsa East mines and limestone supplied by Bulgarian quarries. It is also among the few power plants in the Bulgarian energy system that can change their mode of operation from minimum to maximum power several times during the day.
TPP Maritsa East 3 operates in full compliance with the highest European standards for occupational safety and environmental protection. The 908 MW plant generates 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.
