NEK CEO Georgi Dobrev played a key role in the expert panel at the Compass '25 National Conference on "Major Projects in Bulgarian Energy through the Lens of Geopolitics, National Security, and Diplomacy."
In his speech, Mr. Dobrev presented in detail NEK's strategic projects for the construction of new pumped storage facilities – 5 new pumped storage hydropower plants in the Rhodopes and Rila, including increasing the capacity of the largest battery in the Balkans, Chaira pumped storage hydropower plant, through the Yadenitsa project and the construction of Chaira II pumped storage hydropower plant.
Together, these projects represent approximately 4.5 gigawatts of new installed capacity and over 70 gigawatt hours of storage. Innovative projects will create a sustainable basis for ensuring long-term storage capacity, enabling large-scale integration of RES, strengthening interconnections, and providing reliable balancing capacity.
"These projects are not just technical improvements—they are strategic factors for the energy transition of Bulgaria and the region, critical assets for the sustainability of the Southeast European system, and a contribution to the broader European agenda—including the Green Deal and the priorities under the Trans-European Energy Infrastructure Regulation," Georgi Dobrev emphasized.
