The European Commission has urged Bulgaria to move faster on expanding the capacity of the Chiren gas storage facility to 1 billion cubic meters. The recommendation comes as part of the 2025 State of the Energy Union report, published today, which reviews the EU’s progress toward its 2030 energy and climate objectives.

According to the Commission, Bulgaria must also prioritize upgrading its gas interconnector with Greece to strengthen regional energy security. The Chiren project, listed as a Project of Common Interest, is seen as crucial for ensuring stable gas supplies across South-Eastern Europe.

The report notes that electricity and gas prices for Bulgarian households remained among the lowest in the EU in 2024, even after a slight rise. However, wholesale electricity prices in Bulgaria stood at 102 euros per megawatt-hour, ranking as the fourth highest in the bloc. While gas prices eased last year, electricity prices in Bulgaria showed an unusual pattern - falling slightly before climbing again in spring, summer, and autumn, diverging from trends in Central Europe.

In 2023, electricity accounted for 27.4 percent of Bulgaria’s final energy consumption, compared to the EU average of 22.9 percent. Over the past ten years, the share of electricity in total energy use has decreased slightly, but it still represents 51.7 percent of household consumption and 31.9 percent of industrial use. In the transport sector, the figure remains very low, at just 1 percent.

The Commission also highlighted that Bulgaria continues to rely partially on Russian fuels, though it has taken steps to diversify supplies and enhance energy security through infrastructure investments. After the Russian-Ukrainian gas transit agreement expired, Bulgaria became the EU’s only entry point for Russian gas transported by pipeline. Nonetheless, the country has advanced projects aimed at diversifying routes, including the completed gas interconnector with Greece and participation in the Alexandroupolis LNG terminal, expected to be operational in 2024.

Brussels emphasized that Bulgaria must speed up work on expanding the Chiren facility due to its strategic importance for the region’s supply security. It also recommended full support for modernizing the interconnector with Greece - a key component of the REPowerEU initiative and the High-Level Group on Energy Connectivity for Central and South-Eastern Europe. These improvements would facilitate increased gas flows from the Trans Adriatic Pipeline and LNG terminals in Greece.

Тhe report calls on Bulgarian authorities and transmission system operators to maximize the use of existing infrastructure essential for supply stability in the region. It also encourages stakeholders to meet commitments under the regional High-Level Group to harmonize gas quality standards, which currently limit the full utilization of the Trans-Balkan Gas Pipeline.