News

Interim Minister of Energy Traicho Traikov visited Chaira pumped-storage hydropower plant to monitor the progress of the plant's repair activities to bring it back to normal operation.

NEK CEO Georgi Dobrev and Chief Technical Director Krassimir Dimitrov presented in detail the results achieved and the challenges overcome.

The 72-hour testing of hydro unit 3, which was repaired last year, are planned for the beginning of April. A specially developed engineering solution was applied to it, which brought hydro unit 2 of the power plant back into operation. It should be noted that that U2 was restored at the end of 2024 and has already operated for 2,757 hours.

Hydro unit 1 will be repaired by the Japanese corporation Toshiba, which is the manufacturer of the original equipment at Chaira PSHPP.

The sustainable solution for hydro unit 4 is its complete replacement, and NEK has a strategy for the successful implementation of the project.

As part of the strategy to gradually bring the Balkans’ largest energy storage facility, Chaira PSHPP, back into operation, the Executive Director of NEK, Georgi Dobrev, the Chief Technical Director, Krasimir Dimitrov, and the Manager of Hydroelektroinvest Enterprise, Denis Beev, held a high-level working meeting at the headquarters of the Japanese corporation Toshiba.

The main focus of the meeting was the repair of Unit 1 of the plant and the coordination of the upcoming activities. Specific steps and follow-up actions were discussed. The meeting confirmed the mutual commitment of the parties’ efforts to the successful restoration of the facility and to ensuring its long-term, reliable, and safe operation.

NEK continues its systematic and focused efforts towards the full restoration of the capacity of Chaira PSHPP, a strategic asset for the energy system of the country and the region.