The Bulgarian energy watchdog has decided that both the National Electric Company (NEK) and the Austria-owned power utility EVN were responsible for the problems with electric supply to the southern Black Sea coast.

The decision comes a day after NEK blamed EVN for constantly attracting new customers without taking into account the capacity of the electric network which is owned by NEK.

The accusation, however, was a result of statement by EVN that the power outages in the Black Sea resorts were due to the years-long lack of investments in the network by the state company.

The head of the State Commission for Energy and Water Regulation (DKEVR), Angel Semerdzhiev, has stated that the responsibility is mutual because the two companies were supposed to plan their work in a way that would not allow restriction of power supply.

In the recent days, it turned out that the electric network did not have the capacity to cope with the huge electric consumption caused by the heat and hotels in the Sunny Beach resort and in the Black Sea city of Burgas had to restrict their consumption, in order to prevent another blackout.

Semerdzhieva has distinguished the situation, in which breakdowns of NEK's electric posts in the end of July left a big part of the Black Sea resorts powerless from the situation, which demanded a restricted consumption of electricity because of the weak network.

He also pointed out that there have been several breakdowns in the EVN network, which have passed the responsibility to NEK.

The customers of the Germany-owned E.ON were also affected by the power breakdowns in the NEK network in the end of July.

“The old national electric network in Bulgaria is not capable of meeting all the challenges of the growing consumption and the incorporation of new consumers,” E.ON has said in their official statement.

The Germany-owned company has added that the situation would get worse due to the necessity of the incorporation of the fast growing number of renewable energy sources.

“We will all witness the fast worsening of the situation unless the companies that participate in the transmission and distribution of electricity cooperate in looking for successful and long-term solutions,” E.ON officials said.

The power utility has urged all electricity distribution companies to sit down to talk and start coordinated efforts for improving the current situation.

“The development of the energy system requires team work. It cannot be artificially divided because an eventual shortage in any of its parts would lead to negative consequences for all consumers,” the statement of E.ON said.

The chair of the board of management of E.ON Bulgaria, Gunther Schubert, has suggested that the Economy Ministry should take the role of a mediator and should start a discussion which should lead to fast and positive solutions.

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