Iva Petrova: Renewables, nuclear power, storage systems and grids play a key role in the region’s energy security
Deputy Minister of Energy Iva Petrova participated in the Energy Summit 2026 organised by the Capital newspaper. Together with the Minister of Environment and Water Julian Popov, they discussed the future of the Maritsa Iztok energy complex, the upcoming changes in the emissions trading scheme, the progress of the projects included in the Recovery and Resilience Plan, as well as the main highlights of the government’s vision for the development of the energy sector.
The preservation of the Maritsa Iztok complex in its entirety is a key factor for economic competitiveness, and the Ministry of Energy is actively supported by the expertise of the European Investment Bank in the process, which became clear from the words of Ms Petrova.
Globally, Europe, compared to other countries in the world, is not competitive in terms of electricity prices. According to Deputy Minister Petrova, natural gas prices are influencing this process, which are further at risk in view of the situation in the Middle East, as well as the EU's climate and energy policies. In this sense, the forthcoming changes in the emissions trading system and the transformation of the energy sector should be approached with extreme caution, Deputy Minister Petrova emphasized. In her words, well-thought-out and balanced solutions are needed in this process.
Following the development and approval by the European Commission of the Territorial Just Transition Plans for the three coal regions (Stara Zagora, Pernik and Kyustendil), the concrete transformation projects are announced by the Ministry of Regional Development and Public Works. Progress on these procedures has been sustained – training and reskilling, economic transformation of small and medium-sized enterprises, skills mapping of workers and others have already been completed. In the words of the Energy Deputy Minister, the opening of schemes for photovoltaics, innovation zones and others is forthcoming.
New energy technologies, energy storage, as well as the development of RES capacities are shaping the future of the energy sector. In this context, special attention was given to wind energy as a local and inexhaustible resource.
Deputy Minister Petrova also emphasised the consistent efforts of the Ministry of Energy to develop the energy mix, where renewable sources, nuclear energy, storage systems and networks have their reserved place. This is a model based on the strategic objective of preserving and upgrading the role of the country as a guarantor of energy security in the region, concluded Iva Petrova.