Construction of the first geothermal power plant in Bulgaria
- Nikola Sechkaryov
- Oct 1
- 2 min read
In the Zlatograd region, construction has begun on Bulgaria’s first geothermal power plant, which will use geothermal water to generate electricity. The news was announced by industrialist Prof. Nikolay Valkanov. So far, the specific parameters of the project have not been provided to the local municipal administration.
The mayor of Zlatograd, Miroslav Yanchev, expressed satisfaction that a major investor has chosen their region for such a project. According to him, this is an opportunity for small settlements to benefit from the presence of investors—both directly and indirectly. He noted that discussions on the investment intentions are currently underway, and the project is expected to start soon.
Yanchev also reminded of another large project that the municipality has been working on for 16 years. Although it was launched long ago, its implementation has not yet become a reality. He explained that the reason for this is the lack of necessary funding, with the project’s cost estimated at around 25 million leva.
The mayor emphasized to the Bulgarian National Radio (BNR) that the local authorities do not have sufficient funds, which greatly limits their ability to invest and create jobs. In his view, the potential of the region—and particularly of the village of Erma Reka—can be fully utilized if investors are found who will not only create employment but also bring other benefits, including revenue from taxes and fees.
Since the project is still in its early stages and depends on external financing, Yanchev declined to specify a timeline for its completion. Nevertheless, he stressed that the first important step has already been taken—the construction of the heat pipeline from Erma Reka to Zlatograd has begun, which is crucial for achieving the set goals.
