The governance of Bulgaria’s energy sector is faced with a number of problems of a technical, legal, and institutional nature. Recent audits of the implementation of large energy infrastructure projects and the pricing mechanisms have exposed some serious governance issues:- A lack of sound energy strategy with clear priorities;
- Apparent conflicts of interest at the highest political level, leading to suspicions of corruption;
- Poor management of state enterprises;
- An absence of adequate independent oversight and numerous monopolistic abuses at the consumers’ expense;
- A lack of information on the pricing mechanisms and on the principles of stimulating the different fuels in the energy mix;
- Politically motivated privatization of assets and uncontrolled access of questionable capital to the energy sector.
The dynamic international environment places additional pressures on the national energy policy and requires careful planning and public consensus in deciding future priorities for the sector. Bulgaria has become one of the EU member-states, which have not been able to implement on time the EU rules and regulations, and which administration lacks the capacity to foresee the effects of the new directives on the consumers and the wider public.
The Bulgarian government needs to come up with a comprehensive data-based energy strategy, which should ensure the supply of more and better information to the Bulgarian public. The available data on the Bulgarian energy security situation shows that as one of the high import dependent and energy intensive economies in Europe, Bulgaria should focus on three priorities:
- improve energy efficiency in the households and in the industry;
- diversify energy sources, in particular in gas supply;
- improve energy sector governance and transparency and reduction of non-technological losses.
Events
CSD Policy Forum: Energy Security and Good Governance in Southeast Europe: Risks and Challenges Towards an EU Energy Union, 24 February 2015
Round table: Europe and Energy Security: The Coming Winter and Beyond, 28 October 2014
International conference: Energy Security and State Capture Risks, 27 October 2014
Round Table "Energy (In)Security in Bulgaria: National Policy and European Perspectives", 25 July 2014
Round Table: Energy Security in the Black Sea Region in the Wake of the Ukrainian Crisis, 10 June 2014
Policy Briefing: Bulgaria’s Energy Security Risk Index, 26 September 2013
Press conference: Bulgaria’s Energy Security Risk Index, 25 September 2013
Round table: Energy Security of Bulgaria: European and International Framework, 7 June 2013
Press Conference: Bulgaria’s International Competitiveness 2013, 30 May 2013
Conference: Trans-Anatolian gas pipeline: Challenges and Prospects for the Black Sea countries and the Balkans, 28-29 September 2012
Round Table: Energy Policy of Russia, 17 May 2012
Press conference: Presentation of the report "Green Growth and Sustainable Development for Bulgaria: Setting the Priorities", 2 April 2012
Seminar: Renewable Energy Sources: Development and Perspectives, 24 November 2011
Forum: Green Opportunities for Bulgaria, 15 November 2011
Round Table: National and Energy Security, 28 July 2011
Round Table: Nuclear Energy in Bulgaria after Fukushima, 31 May 2011
Round table: Anti-Corruption in Public Procurement: Balancing the Policies, 26 May 2011
Round table: Energy Security of Bulgaria, 28 April 2011
Policy Forum: The Costs and Benefits of Renewables, 26 April 2011
Seminar Discussion: Doing Green Business in California: Lessons for Europe and Bulgaria, 18 April 2011
Round table: Environment and Energy Foresight: EU-China Cooperation, 11 April 2011
Seminar: Gauging Energy Security: European and Bulgarian Trends, 5 April 2011
Round table: Organized Crime and Energy Security, 25 March 2011
Round table: The Significance of the Black Sea Region for the European Union: Political, Economic and Energy Aspects, 10 March 2011
Policy Forum: Energy and Good Governance in Bulgaria: Trends and Policy Options, 18 January 2011
Publications
Energy Sector Governance and Energy (In)Security in Bulgaria
Media note: Energy in(security): the parliament’s decision on the South Stream pipeline increases the risks for Bulgaria’s energy security
Media note: Shedding More Light on the New “Simplified” Electricity Bills
CSD Policy Brief No. 40: Bulgaria's Energy Security Risk Index
Media Note: Energy Saving Technologies in the Bulgarian Residential Sector
CSD Brief No 39: The Bulgarian Economy: Competitiveness 2013
Media Note: Why Electrical Bills Increase in Bulgaria (in Bulgarian)
Trans-Anatolian gas pipeline: Challenges and Prospects for the Black Sea countries and the Balkans
The Level of Transparency of Oil and Gas Transit Operations through Bulgaria, Georgia, Turkey and Ukrainе
Media Note: Is there really a "green" energy monster feeding on Bulgarian consumers' incomes?
Green Growth and Sustainable Development for Bulgaria: Setting the Priorities
Green Energy Governance in Bulgaria at a Crossroads
Anti-Corruption in Public Procurement: Balancing the Policies
Energy and Good Governance in Bulgaria. Trends and Policy Options
Bulgaria goes ‘green’?
CSD Brief No 25: The Green Element in the Sustainable Energy Policies of Europe
The Energy Sector in Bulgaria: Major Governance Issues
More events and publications on energy security and governance. |
