Parliament lifts licensing requirements for electricity production by up to 20 MW power plant owners

Bulgaria's National Assembly passed conclusively amendments to the Energy Act lifting licensing requirements for electricity production by a person owning a power plant with a total installed power capacity of 20 MW and less, easing the previous requirement of 5 MW.

The revisions create prerequisites for the development of electricity and natural-gas transmission, distribution and storage infrastructures and for oil and petroleum-product transmission, distribution and storage infrastructures within and across the territory of Bulgaria, the mover explained.

The legislature voted down a motion by Continue the Change, introducing a shift work option for on-duty personnel at underground hydropower plants and pumped-storage hydropower plants who benefit from reduced working time under the Labour Code. The maximum duration of a shift when using working time accounts would be 12 hours.