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European Climate, Infrastructure and Environment Executive Agency
News article13 June 2022European Climate, Infrastructure and Environment Executive Agency

CEF Energy: contributing to a better integration of the energy market

CEF Energy - Electricity Bulgaria

CEF Energy is co-funding several Actions in the North-South Interconnections East Electricity corridor (NSI East Electricity) with the aim of completing the EU internal energy market and integrating renewable energy sources, which will lead to an increase of the regional security of power supply, grid flexibility and stability in the region.

Keep reading to learn more about some of the CEF ‘success stories’ in that corridor, representing mostly the implementation of interconnections and internal lines of electricity!

Actions in Bulgaria

In Bulgaria, CEF has co-funded six Actions contributing to three different Projects of Common Interest (PCIs), all of them aiming at building new transmission lines to connect diverse locations.

More concretely, PCI 3.7.4 is a new 150 km AC 400 kV overhead transmission line between substation Maritsa East and substation Burgas with a capacity of 1500 MW. For its implementation, CEF co-funded a study that delivered the documentation, plans and permits needed to pass to the construction phrase. The construction works also received CEF support and were successfully completed in June 2021.

Regarding the PCI 3.8.1, it is a new 87 km 400 kV AC single-circuit onshore overhead transmission line between Dobrudja and Burgas with a capacity of 1500 MW. In this case, CEF co-funded a study to set the basis for the investment process for the construction of the PCI, including the finalisation of the permit granting procedure and the preparation of procurement and also the works, which were completed in July 2021.

In the context of the PCI 3.7.1 between Maritsa East in Bulgaria and Nea Santa in Greece, CEF co-funded two studies, one in Bulgaria and one in Greece. Moreover, the programme currently co-funds the construction works in Bulgaria (already completed), whereas the construction works in the Greek territory, funded by own resources, should be finalised in 2023.

All these Actions and respective PCIs contributed to the objectives of the TEN-E Regulation by strengthening the Bulgarian power grid and the electricity flow from North-South and East-West. Thus, the lines enhance regional security of supply, integration of renewable power generation and EU internal market integration leading to wholesale electricity price convergence. Finally, they also improve the grid system flexibility and stability and increase the network transfer capacity at the Bulgaria-Greece border and at the Bulgaria-Romania border. For all those reasons, these internal transmission lines in Bulgaria are critical for the Black see region.

Action in Slovenia

CEF Energy co-funds the Slovenian section of the PCI 3.9.1 “Interconnection between Žerjavenec (Croatia, HR)/Hévíz (Hungary, HU) and Cirkovce (Slovenia, SI)”. The Action covers the construction and commissioning of an 80 km long 400 kV overhead transmission line, the construction and commissioning of new 400 kV and 110 kV switchyards in Cirkovce, and the removal of existing and obsolete switchyards in the same location.

The Action, ongoing since October 2018 and expected to be completed in June 2022, aims to connect Slovenia to the existing interconnection between Croatia and Hungary, resulting in two new cross-border circuits: Cirkovce (SI) to Žerjavinec (HR) and Cirkovce (SI) to Hévíz (HU).

This line will strengthen the Slovenian power network, will allow electricity flow between the three countries and thus contribute to regional security of supply, integration of renewable power generation, EU internal market integration leading to wholesale electricity price convergence.

Actions in Czech Republic

CEF Energy co-funded five studies related to PCIs 3.11.1, 3.11.2, 3.11.3 and 3.11.4 contributing to increase the transmission capacity and security of supply in Central and Eastern Europe, while facilitating as well the integration of renewable energies into the grid.

For 3.11.2 a first study led to the preparation and submission of the zoning permit for the electricity line and the substation; while the second prepared the final project and tender documentation needed for the promoter to start the construction of the line, which finalised in October 2020.

For 3.11.1, 3.11.3 and 3.11.4, CEF Energy co-funded Actions that contributed to either permitting and/or tender documentation leading to selection of contractors-designers.

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