Around 10,800 households in Sofia will be able to replace their old heating appliances free of charge under the second project of the Environment Programme. According to the project’s official parameters, appliances in up to 10,815 homes are to be replaced, while the non-repayable financial assistance amounts to more than €37 million, or BGN 73,593,308.01.
Applications opened on November 2 and will remain open until February 2, 2027. So far, around 5,000 households have submitted documents. Applications are being accepted at six offices, with the central one located in the Krasna Polyana district.
What approved households will receive
Approved applicants will receive free dismantling and removal of their old heating appliances, which will be handed over for recycling. The municipality will also provide the delivery and installation of a new environmentally friendly appliance, which comes with a two-year full warranty.
Offices were initially opened in the Krasna Polyana, Nadezhda and Izgrev districts. By the end of November, three more document submission points are expected to begin operating in the Studentski, Mladost and Sredets districts. The application process is intended for households that use solid fuel for heating.
The goal is less pollution from household heating
Under the first project, 11,000 households replaced their old heating appliances. The new project is aimed at reducing emissions of PM10 fine particulate matter released by heating with wood and coal. The expected effect is an annual reduction in emissions of approximately 222.8 tonnes.
“This programme is specifically one of the pillars of our efforts,” Sofia Mayor Vasil Terziev said. He pointed out that, alongside the replacement of heating sources, measures in transport and actions to limit construction-related pollution would continue.
The project is the second large-scale phase for replacing heating appliances in households in Sofia. Its implementation is planned through 2029.
Sources: bnrnews.bg