Bulgaria

Maritsa East 3, historically a lignite-fired coal plant composed of four units of 227 MW gross capacity each, has long played a strategic role in Bulgaria’s energy system, supporting both domestic supply and exports. ContourGlobal holds a 73% ownership stake in the plant, with the remaining 27% owned by the Bulgarian National Electric Company (NEK).

After the long-term power purchase agreement with NEK expired in February 2024, coal-fired operations were significantly reduced due to market conditions. In alignment with Bulgaria’s energy transition goals, ContourGlobal is reallocating the grid access of Units 1 and 2 to enable the rapid development of clean energy solutions. The most advanced of these is a 200 MW / 500 MWh stand-alone Battery Energy Storage System (BESS), currently under construction through the Bulgarian Government’s RESTORE program. Once operational, it will be one of the largest BESS installations in both Bulgaria and the European Union.