The condition of Sofia Thermal Power Plant, the largest thermal power plant in the capital, is not just alarming - it is on the verge of collapse. During a site visit, advisors from Save Sofia and Democratic Bulgaria found that only about 10% of the facilities of the entire plant are functioning. Only one turbine and one steam generator are in operation, the rest of the capacities are in complete or partial malfunction. “I would liken what I saw in the power plant to Mordor from Tolkien's novels”, said the municipal advisor from "Save Sofia" Emilia Angelova.
According to Angelova, the power plant is in a deplorable condition. “Water is leaking, the pipes are rotten, a large part of the infrastructure is literally gutted”, she said. According to Boris Bonev, chairman of “Save Sofia”, the impression left by the facility is closer to a sense of neglect than of a site of national importance. “And although we were not allowed to film inside, with the argument that the thermal power plant is a site of strategic importance, the scale of the destruction is obvious even without a camera”, he added.
The municipal councilors have found that the spare parts warehouses are half empty, and used pipes are rolling around indiscriminately in the yard. It also became clear that emergency repairs to the heat transfer network are being carried out with pipes intended for scrap - worn, compromised, and sometimes dangerous.
“Of particular concern is the lack of a realistic action plan after the decision of the Supreme Administrative Court, which refused a derogation for nitrogen oxide levels. We recall that according to the decision, it is no longer possible to simply pay fines - "the next measure is to close the facilities that do not meet the eco-norms," Emilia Angelova said in a press release. Currently, none of the facilities at Sofia TPP meet the requirements - nitrogen oxide values are 4-5 times higher than the permissible limits.
The only positive aspect during the visit was the high level of expertise of the engineers who accompanied the advisors and answered their questions. "It is really thanks to them and a dose of 'magic' that the system is still functioning in its current state," Angelova concluded.
According to "Save Sofia" it is not clear what the management, appointed 1 year ago by GERB, BSP and ITN, is doing on all these issues, but the fact is that the technical condition of Toplofikatsiya is not just severe - it is critical.
“This is why we are submitting a proposal to conduct an external, independent technical audit of the condition of Toplofikatsiya Sofia's facilities and the heat transmission network. While the accounting and legal documents may be “proper“ on paper, the technical reality cannot be concealed – it is visible to the naked eye”, said Emilia Angelova.
"Save Sofia" insists on an urgent investigation to clarify whether there is a real risk that hundreds of thousands of Sofia residents will be left without heating and hot water next winter.
“The crisis is already here. The question is whether we will recognize it and act in time”, conclude "Save Sofia".