The European Commission has allocated EUR 29.9 M to the construction of a new 140 km power line in Bulgaria.

By transmitting wind and photovoltaic energy, the power line between Dobrudja, in southeastern Bulgaria, and Burgas, on the country’s Black Sea coast,will integrate renewables in the electricity market, the Commission said in a statement on Wednesday.

The EU support, which equals half of the funding needed for the project, will also enhance the capacity of the Bulgarian electricity grid and strengthen its resilience, the Commission added.

The new electricity line, which is expected to be operational by 2022, is a “project of common interest” for the EU. It is part of the so-called 'Black Sea Corridor' project cluster: three electricity lines which will reinforce the electricity transmission corridor along the Romanian and Bulgarian coast, as well as between the rest of Europe and Turkey.

Energy Commissioner Miguel Arias Canete commented in the statement: "The new Bulgarian line will increase the power exchanges in the area, and will allow the transmission of a new wave of clean energy from South-Eastern Europe. This in line with the Energy Union strategy, which aims at securing and integrating energy markets while ensuring sustainable energy for citizens and enterprises".