Maritsa Iztok Complex#Maritza Iztok-3

{{Infobox power station

| name = Maritsa Iztok-1
(TPS AES Galabovo)

| name_official =

| image = Galabovo TPS AES.jpg

| image_caption = TPS AES Galabovo

| image_alt =

| coordinates = {{coord|42|9|16|N|25|54|41|E|type:landmark|display=inline,title}}

| country = Bulgaria

| location = Galabovo

| status = O

| construction_began = June 2006

| commissioned = 3 June 2011

| decommissioned =

| cost =

| owner = AES Corporation

| operator =

| th_fuel_primary = Lignite

| th_fuel_tertiary =

| ps_units_operational = 2 X 335 MW

| ps_units_manu_model = Alstom

| th_cogeneration =

| th_combined_cycle =

| ps_electrical_capacity = 670 MW

| ps_electrical_cap_fac =

| website =

| extra =

}}

{{Infobox power station

| name = Maritsa Iztok-2

| name_official =

| image =

| image_caption =

| image_alt =

| suppressfields = image

| coordinates = {{coord|42|15|14|N|26|7|55|E|type:landmark}}

| country = Bulgaria

| location = Radetski village

| status = O

| construction_began = 7 May 1962

| commissioned = 10 November 1966

| decommissioned =

| cost =

| owner = Bulgarian Energy Holding EAD

| operator = Maritsa East-2 TPP

| th_fuel_primary = Lignite

| th_fuel_tertiary =

| ps_units_operational = 4 X 150 MW
2 X 210 MW
2 X 215 MW

| ps_units_manu_model = LMZ
Electrosila

| th_cogeneration =

| th_combined_cycle =

| ps_electrical_capacity = 1,465 MW

| ps_electrical_cap_fac =

| website =

| extra =

}}

{{Infobox power station

| name = Maritsa Iztok-3

| name_official =

| image =

| image_caption =

| image_alt =

| suppressfields = image

| coordinates = {{coord|42|8|40|N|26|0|12|E|type:landmark}}

| country = Bulgaria

| location =

| status = O

| construction_began = 1978

| commissioned = 1980

| decommissioned =

| cost =

| owner =

| operator = Energiina Kompaniya Maritsa Iztok 3 AD

| th_fuel_primary = Lignite

| th_fuel_tertiary =

| ps_units_operational = 4 X 225 MW

| ps_units_manu_model = LMZ

| th_cogeneration =

| th_combined_cycle =

| ps_electrical_capacity = 900 MW

| ps_electrical_cap_fac =

| website =

| extra =

}}

The Maritsa Iztok Complex generates coal power in Bulgaria. Maritsa Iztok 1 and 3 located entirely within Stara Zagora Province in south-central Bulgaria while Maritsa Iztok 2 is split with eastern neighboring Sliven Province. It consists of three lignite-fired thermal power stations. The complex is located in a large lignite coal basin, which includes several mines, enrichment plants, a briquette plant and its own railway system. The development of the thermal power and mining complex at Maritsa Iztok began in 1952, but the lignite deposits used to be known well in the mid-19th century. The Maritsa Iztok mines and power plants are interdependent as the only market for coal is the power plants, while the power plants have no other supplier of coal but the mines.{{cite news

| url = http://www.seenews.com/news/latestnews/bulgariamaritsaiztokpicksfavourite-155935/

| title = Bulgaria Maritsa Iztok Picks Favourite

| first = Sia

| last = Velinova

| publisher = SeeNews

| date = 2007-06-08

| access-date = 2008-03-16

| archive-date = 16 July 2011

| archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20110716034911/http://www.seenews.com/news/latestnews/bulgariamaritsaiztokpicksfavourite-155935/

| url-status = dead

}}

The complex is the largest source of {{CO2}} emissions in Bulgaria with over 10 million tons in 2024.{{Cite web |title=Explore map - Climate TRACE |url=https://climatetrace.org/explore/#admin=Bulgaria%20(BGR):37238:BGR:country&gas=co2e&year=2024&timeframe=100§or=&asset= |access-date=2025-05-24 |website=climatetrace.org}} The complex is politically controversial;{{Cite journal |last1=Raudla |first1=Ringa |first2=Spendzharova ,Aneta |last3=and Veskioja |first3=Kaija |title=How policy capacities shape the green transition: explaining the use of EU sustainable finance in the EU's Central and Eastern European member states |url=https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/13501763.2025.2502665 |journal=Journal of European Public Policy |date=2025 |volume=0 |pages=1–25 |doi=10.1080/13501763.2025.2502665 |issn=1350-1763}}{{Cite web |title=Energy Minister: Bulgaria Will Not Shut Down Coal Power Stations, Heating Plants in Winter |url=https://www.bta.bg/en/news/economy/895320-energy-minister-bulgaria-will-not-shut-down-coal-power-stations-heating-plants |access-date=2025-05-24 |website=www.bta.bg |language=en}} it has badly polluted local towns but many people rely on it for jobs.{{Cite web |last=Orbova |first=Tania |date=2024-11-07 |title=Working Class Environmentalism Reloaded: What Does Just Transition Mean for the Workers in Stara Zagora? · BG · berlinergazette.de · EN{{!}}DE |url=https://berlinergazette.de/working-class-environmentalism-reloaded-what-does-just-transition-mean-for-the-workers-in-stara-zagora/ |access-date=2025-05-24 |website=BG · berlinergazette.de · EN{{!}}DE |language=en-US}}{{Cite journal |last1=van der A |first1=Ronald J. |last2=Ding |first2=Jieying |last3=Eskes |first3=Henk |date=2024-07-03 |title=Monitoring European anthropogenic NOx emissions from space |url=https://acp.copernicus.org/articles/24/7523/2024/ |journal=Atmospheric Chemistry and Physics |language=English |volume=24 |issue=13 |pages=7523–7534 |doi=10.5194/acp-24-7523-2024 |doi-access=free |bibcode=2024ACP....24.7523V |issn=1680-7316}}{{Cite web |last=Hemalatha |first=Karthikeyan |date=2024-06-03 |title=The People vs. Toxic air: Bulgaria's Maritsa Iztok 2 coal plant emission exemptions ruled illegal |url=https://energyandcleanair.org/the-people-vs-toxic-air/ |access-date=2025-05-24 |website=Centre for Research on Energy and Clean Air |language=en-US}}

Maritsa Iztok-1 (TPS AES Galabovo)

Maritsa Iztok-1 is located near Galabovo. In October 1998, the old power plant with a capacity of 500 megawatts (MW) was privatized and sold to Consolidated Continental Commerce (3C), later purchased by AES Corporation. On 15 February 2000, AES and the Bulgarian grid operator Natzionalna Elektricheska Kompania EAD (NEK) signed a 15-year tolling agreement, according to which AES has an obligation to replace the old power station with a new facility.

{{cite news

| url = http://www.sofiaecho.com/article/aes-granted-licence/id_4860/catid_23

| title = AES granted licence

| first = Ivan | last = Vatahov

| newspaper = The Sofia Echo

| date = 2002-07-11

| access-date = 2008-03-16}} In June 2006, AES started construction of the new 670 MW power station.

{{cite news |last=Vatahov |first=Ivan |date=2006-06-26 |title=Bulgaria's reactor closure aftershocks |newspaper=The Sofia Echo |url=http://www.sofiaecho.com/article/bulgarias-reactor-closure-aftershocks/id_16050/catid_67 |access-date=2008-03-16}}

It became operational on 3 June 2011.

{{cite news

| url = http://www.power-eng.com/articles/2011/06/coal--fired-power-plant-enters-service-in-bulgaria.html

| title = Coal-fired power plant enters service in Bulgaria

| work = Power Engineering

| publisher = PennWell Corporation

| date = 2011-06-03

| access-date = 2011-06-04}}

The new power station consists of two pulverised coal boilers of 335 MW each, two steam turbines, two generators and desulphurisation facilities. The plant was constructed by Alstom. It cost €1.2 billion.

Maritsa Iztok-2

Maritsa Iztok-2 is the largest thermal power plant in the Balkans.{{cite news | url = http://www.sofiaecho.com/article/maritsa-iztok-2-financing-secured/id_9739/catid_23 | title = Maritsa Iztok 2 financing secured | publisher = The Sofia Echo | date = 2004-07-15 | access-date = 2008-03-16}} It is located {{convert|60|km|mi|0}} from Stara Zagora in the vicinity of the village of Radetski and the dam lake Ovcharitsa. The construction of Maritsa Iztok-2 started on 7 May 1962; it was inaugurated on 10 November 1966. Between 1979 and 1995 the power station was expanded by four additional units. 1977 and 1980 two new {{convert|325|m|ft|0}} tall chimneys were built. Maritsa Iztok-2 has a total installed capacity of 1,465 MW and generates 30% of Bulgaria's electricity. It consists of eight generating units, two of which are equipped with flue gas desulphurization plants. The rehabilitation of the older power units, including construction of FGD plants for units 1 to 6, are in progress.

>{{cite news

| url = http://www.sofiaecho.com/article/clash-on-maritsa-iztok-2/id_11116/catid_23

| title = Clash on Maritsa Iztok 2

| newspaper = The Sofia Echo

| date = 2005-04-10

| access-date = 2008-03-16}}

Maritsa Iztok-2 is wholly state-owned. It is a subsidiary of Bulgarian Energy Holding EAD.

{{cite news

| url = http://www.novinite.com/view_news.php?id=90355

| title = Bulgaria Consolidates Five Energy Companies into Holding

| agency = Sofia News Agency

| date = 2008-02-13

| access-date = 2008-02-24}}

{{cite news

| url = http://www.power-eng.com/articles/2008/02/bulgaria-announces-birth-of-energy-giant-with-new-holding-company.html

| title = Bulgaria announces birth of energy giant with new holding company

| work = Power Engineering

| publisher = PennWell Corporation

| date = 2008-02-14

| access-date = 2008-02-24}}

In November 2014 the power station was ranked as the industrial facility that is causing the highest damage costs to health and the environment in Bulgaria and the entire European Union by the European Environment Agency.{{cite web|title=Industrial facilities causing the highest damage costs to health and the environment|date=24 November 2014 |url=http://www.eea.europa.eu/data-and-maps/daviz/industrial-facilities-causing-the-highest-damage#tab-daviz-tabular|publisher=European Environment Agency|access-date=25 November 2014}}

In June 2019 a fire thought to be caused by routine maintenance broke out on the smokestack of the flue gas desulphurisation system at Unit 8.

Maritsa Iztok-3

Maritsa Iztok-3 is Bulgaria's third-largest power plant. It is located {{convert|40|km|mi|0}} from Stara Zagora. The power plant has an installed capacity of 900 MW, which is produced by four units of each 225 MW. It has a {{convert|325|m|ft|0}} tall chimney.{{cite news

| url = http://search.ft.com/nonFtArticle?id=030428005028

| title = Infrastructure: Veteran creditors seek partnerships

| first = Eric

| last = Jansson

| newspaper = Financial Times

| date = 2003-04-28

| access-date = 2008-03-16

}}{{Dead link|date=August 2023 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}

In 1998, the United States power utility Entergy Corporation purchased 73% of Maritsa Iztok-3 shares for US$375 million from the Bulgarian state. Entergy also has the obligation to modernize the power station.{{cite news

| url = https://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res=9504E7DC133AF936A25753C1A96E958260&scp=1&sq=Iztok&st=nyt

| title = Entergy is buying two-thirds stkae in Bulgarian utility

| newspaper = The New York Times

| date = 1998-10-15

| access-date = 2008-03-16}}

In 2002, the Italian power company Enel joined the project; in 2006 Enel acquired Entergy's stake.{{cite news

| url = http://www.sofiaecho.com/article/maritsa-iztok-3-launched/id_7077/catid_23

| title = Maritsa Iztok 3 launched

| newspaper = The Sofia Echo

| date = 2003-04-17

| access-date = 2008-03-16}}

At present, Maritsa Iztok-3 is owned and operated by Energiina Kompaniya Maritsa Iztok 3 AD, a joint venture of ContourGlobal (73%) and NEK (27%).

{{cite news

| url = http://sofiaecho.com/article/new-power-plant-proposed-in-bulgaria/id_17235/catid_68

| title = New Power Plant Proposed in Bulgaria

| newspaper = The Sofia Echo

| date = 2006-08-28

| access-date = 2008-03-16}}

Enel is planning to invest in a new 700-800 MW coal-fired power plant next to the existing Maritsa Iztok-3 plant. The new power plant is expected to cost €900 million.

{{cite news

|url = http://www.pdi.ie/News-And-Events/Image-infrastructure-and-roads/Italys-Enel-Ready-to-Quickly-Build-New-Power-Plant-in-Bulgaria.html

|title = Italy's Enel Ready to Quickly Build New Power Plant in Bulgaria

|agency = Sofia News Agency

|date = 2007-02-19

|access-date = 2008-03-16

|url-status = dead

|archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20071121115202/https://www.pdi.ie/News-And-Events/Image-infrastructure-and-roads/Italys-Enel-Ready-to-Quickly-Build-New-Power-Plant-in-Bulgaria.html

|archive-date = 21 November 2007

}}