Use of the grid
Updated: 23.01.2019
Author: Ivana Naydenova
Renewable energy plant operators are contractually entitled against the grid operator to the purchase electricity (art. 30 par. 1 ERSA)
Entitled party: The persons entitled are the electricity producers (art. 30 par. 1 ERSA).
Obligated party: The person obligated is the grid operator (art. 30 par. 1 ERSA).
Procedure
| Process flow | - Access requirements. The grid operator may deny access to the grid if the connection of a plant might have a negative impact on the technical parameters of the grid, grid stability or the supply of electricity to other customers and consumers (art. 118 par. 2 Energy Act).
- Certificate. The plant operator receives certificates of origin for electricity generated from renewable sources from the national regulatory authority (§ 9 par. 1 Transitional and Final provisions of ERSA).
- Agreement. Electricity suppliers are obliged to purchase all electricity from renewable sources at the preferential price set by the EWRC (art. 31 par. 1 ERSA). The obligation to purchase electricity is based on long-term purchase agreements, which have a duration of 20 years (hydro-electricity installations with a capacity of up to 10 MW: 15 years, wind power: 12 years) (art. 31 par. 2 ERSA).
- Penalty charges. Grid operators who fail to meet their obligations are obliged to pay charges of BGN 70,000-200,000 (approx. € 35,700-102,000) (art. 63 par. 1 ERSA).
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| Deadlines | Deadlines for grid access are not defined by law. They may, however, be specified in the individual agreements between the grid operator and the plant operators. |
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Priority to renewable energy
- Priority to renewable energy
- Non-discrimination
The grid operator is obliged to ensure access to the grid without discriminating against certain grid users and in compliance with quality requirements (art. 113 par. 1 no. 3, 4 Energy Act). Electricity from renewable sources is not given priority.
Curtailment
The transmission system operator may refuse to purchase and transmit electricity from renewable energy in the following cases:
- The transmission capacity is insufficient (art. 119 par. 3 no. 1 Energy Act).
- There are no technical conditions for measuring the consumption of electricity from own production separately from the quantities supplied from other sources (art. 119 par. 3 no. 3 Energy Act).
- The reliable operation of the power system and/or security of supply is impaired (art. 119 par. 5 Energy Act).
Concerning the distribution grid, according to the distribution system operator EVN Bulgaria, the DSO has no technical or legal possibility to control the electricity which is fed into the grid.
Distribution of costs
| Consumers | The costs of the purchase of electricity are transferred to the consumers through the electricity price. |
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| Distribution mechanism | The grid operators have the right to request compensation for the costs resulting from the purchase of electricity from renewable sources (art. 35 par. 1 Energy Act). Regulatory authority EWRC is responsible for determining the recoverable amount (art. 35 par. 4 Energy Act). |
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Bulgaria