ELECTRICITY consumption in the country has risen by 4.4 per cent since the beginning of the year, said National Electric Company (NEC) executive director Vassil Atanassov.
In the first 10 months of this year, the production of electricity for Bulgaria dropped by 0.1 per cent, to 34.2 billion megawatts, while the consumption was 29 billion megawatts.
Atanassov said that the company's profits for this year would be less than those for 2002. The projected profit for this year is 40 million leva, while for last year it was a total of 170 million leva.
He said the main reason for the smaller profit was the increased price of electricity produced by thermal power plants as well as the increased volume of energy bought from those plants at the expense of nuclear energy, which is cheaper.
The average price at which NEC bought electricity from producers was 13 per cent higher than in 2002.
After the shutting down of units 1 and 2 of the Kozlodui nuclear power plant at the end of last year, the volume of electricity produced by the plant dropped by 12 per cent, while the volume produced by the thermal plants rose by 17 per cent.
Maritsa Iztok 3 thermal plant increased the prices of electricity because of its renovation.
He said another reason for the reduced profit this year was that the company had introduced cheaper weekend tariffs for industrial consumers. The average value of the electricity sold to energy distribution companies and industrial consumers was 1.3 per cent cheaper than in 2002.
Atanassov, however, did not include the terminated export of electricity to Turkey among the reasons for the lower profit of the NEC for this year.
At the end of April this year, Turkey terminated the contract for importing Bulgarian electricity.
After a series of talks between the two sides, an agreement was not reached.
Atanassov said Bulgaria had reached its maximum capacity for export of electricity without the contract with Turkey. Bulgaria has signed contracts for exports of electricity exceeding twice its capacity for producing it.
Atanassov said 26 companies from Germany, the UK and Italy ask for quotas for importing Bulgarian electricity - a total of between 1300 and 1500 megawatts of electricity. Bulgaria, however, can export up to 850 megawatts.
Atanassov said that he was not optimistic about reviving the deal with Turkey.
In the first 10 months of this year, the production of electricity for Bulgaria dropped by 0.1 per cent, to 34.2 billion megawatts, while the consumption was 29 billion megawatts.
Atanassov said that the company's profits for this year would be less than those for 2002. The projected profit for this year is 40 million leva, while for last year it was a total of 170 million leva.
He said the main reason for the smaller profit was the increased price of electricity produced by thermal power plants as well as the increased volume of energy bought from those plants at the expense of nuclear energy, which is cheaper.
The average price at which NEC bought electricity from producers was 13 per cent higher than in 2002.
After the shutting down of units 1 and 2 of the Kozlodui nuclear power plant at the end of last year, the volume of electricity produced by the plant dropped by 12 per cent, while the volume produced by the thermal plants rose by 17 per cent.
Maritsa Iztok 3 thermal plant increased the prices of electricity because of its renovation.
He said another reason for the reduced profit this year was that the company had introduced cheaper weekend tariffs for industrial consumers. The average value of the electricity sold to energy distribution companies and industrial consumers was 1.3 per cent cheaper than in 2002.
Atanassov, however, did not include the terminated export of electricity to Turkey among the reasons for the lower profit of the NEC for this year.
At the end of April this year, Turkey terminated the contract for importing Bulgarian electricity.
After a series of talks between the two sides, an agreement was not reached.
Atanassov said Bulgaria had reached its maximum capacity for export of electricity without the contract with Turkey. Bulgaria has signed contracts for exports of electricity exceeding twice its capacity for producing it.
Atanassov said 26 companies from Germany, the UK and Italy ask for quotas for importing Bulgarian electricity - a total of between 1300 and 1500 megawatts of electricity. Bulgaria, however, can export up to 850 megawatts.
Atanassov said that he was not optimistic about reviving the deal with Turkey.
