This morning, an activist from "Greenpeace" - Bulgaria flew over the "ContourGlobal Maritsa-East 3" thermal power plant. The message dropped from the paraglider is "Climate? Fuck it!", and the organization's call is for the government to stop pouring billions into the declining coal industry. Instead, wake up to the climate crisis, take care of the future of people in the coal sector and the prospects for energy-poor citizens.
The action is taking place weeks after another series of extreme weather events, due to which a state of emergency was declared for floods in parts of Northwestern Bulgaria. At the same time, the period coincides with the ongoing month-long secret negotiations for the sale of the TPP “ContourGlobal Maritsa-East 3“, after another suspension of its work on April 1 this year.
“Populism, political inaction and networks of private interests in the Bulgarian energy sector are gross cynicism towards all Bulgarian citizens. Because the big losers from the unrealized energy transition in our country are precisely the people and nature of Bulgaria. "People who lose their homes in extreme floods and forest fires, but also people who are lied to from morning to night that coal has a future," said Desislava Mikova, coordinator of the "Climate and Energy" campaign at "Greenpeace" - Bulgaria.
The fate of the second largest thermal power plant in the country and the second largest client of the state-owned enterprise "Mini Maritsa - East" is a symptom of what lies ahead for the entire coal sector - an end without warning and plan, instead of a just transition for people and economical climate-neutral alternatives for our electricity system. Without state subsidies, this plant will be unprofitable if it is restarted.
The parliamentary majority is preparing a law that will postpone the liberalization of the electricity market in order to give it a few more years and pour additional billions into coal-fired power generation. In parallel, speculation is growing in the public space that the TPP "ContourGlobal Maritsa-Iztok 3" will be joined to the Coal Empire "Kovachki", whose emblems are chronic pollutants such as the TPP "Brikel" in Galabovo and the TPP "Maritsa 3" in Dimitrovgrad. Regardless of whether it will acquire a new owner or not, there remains a need for a clear plan under what conditions, until when and at what price the second largest TPP will operate. Instead of a bailout for coal oligarchs and archaic industries, Bulgaria should invest in an accelerated transition to renewable energy sources, in reducing energy losses and in better connectivity with the electricity transmission systems of neighboring countries.
“Climate?! Fuck it!“ – yes, the message is harsh! But in the debate about the future of Bulgarian energy, the big absentee is precisely the climate crisis. At a time when it is causing more and more damage and costing us more and more, it is time to look at reality and make the right decisions“ – added Mikova.