BEH to select a consultant for the separation of ESO from NEK

georgi.velev@klassa.bg

The Bulgarian Energy Holding (BEH) will seek a consultant to make an analysis on the options for separation of the Electricity System Operator (ESO) from the structure of NEK (National Electricity Company), stated yesterday Deputy Minister of Economy, Energy and Tourism Delian Dobrev during the forum dubbed "The impact of low-carbon investment on the economy". The separation of the Operator should start by the middle of next year. The European Commission has set as final deadline the end of March 2012, but this could hardly happen. The reason for the delay is that the ESO assets were pledged as collateral for NEK's loans.

The drafted amendments to the Energy Act will also regulate the separation of the System Operator in order to comply with the EU requirements, explained Dobrev. He expects the amendments to be discussed by the Council of Ministers in early December and the Bill to be debated in Parliament by the end of the month.

By the middle of next year, it is expected that the contract clauses, signed with Gazprom for natural gas transit to our country, will be renegotiated. The Russian company is  not willing to announce the spare capacity of the pipes in our country under the pretext that it is a trade secret. However, the EU instituted legal proceedings against Bulgaria for the lack of free gas market. According to Dobrev, 90 percent of the EC requirements have already been implemented and the rest will be fulfilled at the beginning of next year. In 2012, a new contract should be signed again with Gazprom for gas supply to our country. However, the negotiations on both contracts are not related, expressed confidence Dobrev. The current contract for natural gas supply expires at the end of 2012 and the negotiations on its resigning are chaired by Bulgargaz.

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