January 15, 2026
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Bulgaria proposes changes to electricity trading rules to include new market participants

The Energy and Water Regulatory Commission of has proposed its amendments to Bulgaria’s electricity trading rules.

The changes aim to align electricity trading rules with recent updates to the country’s Energy Act and a legal and operational framework for new categories of market participants, according to law firm CMS Bulgaria.

New categories include active customers (active buyers), citizen energy communities, self-consumers (prosumers) of electricity from renewable sources, and renewable energy communities.

The Energy and Water Regulatory Commission (EWRC) held a public consultation event today on its draft changes in electricity trading rules. Representatives of the three distribution system operators (DSOs), the Sofia Municipality and the Bulgarian Association for Electrical Engineering and Electronics (BASEL) participated in the discussion.

These changes are designed to encourage electricity production for self-consumption

These changes are designed to encourage electricity production for self-consumption, minimize distribution losses, and foster more predictable energy pricing, a CMS e-alert reads. Furthermore, the amendments would ensure the Bulgarian rules comply with EU law, specifically directives 2018/2001 and 2019/944 and Regulation 2019/943.

The proposed draft introduces several specific provisions to facilitate the participation of the said new entities, CMS stressed.

It explicitly defines how new participants can join the market and the types of contracts they are permitted to conclude.

The new rules allow for the grouping of different sites for joint electricity production or consumption. They also set technical mandates for commercial metering devices, including remote reading capabilities.

The new rules also define calculation of generated, shared and sold electricity

The authors outlined procedures for registering or deregistering participants and groups with network operators. The update would impose an obligation to maintain a public register of these participants.

The proposed rules define the calculation of generated, shared and sold electricity. The framework guarantees that data is exchanged between suppliers, network operators, and group members, ensuring it is reflected in monthly bills.

Stakeholders were invited to submit their proposals from January 8 until January 22, CMS underscored.

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January 14, 2026
by in News

Bulgaria proposes changes to electricity trading rules to include new market participants

The Energy and Water Regulatory Commission of has proposed its amendments to Bulgaria’s electricity trading rules.

The changes aim to align electricity trading rules with recent updates to the country’s Energy Act and a legal and operational framework for new categories of market participants, according to law firm CMS Bulgaria.

New categories include active customers (active buyers), citizen energy communities, self-consumers (prosumers) of electricity from renewable sources, and renewable energy communities.

The Energy and Water Regulatory Commission (EWRC) held a public consultation event today on its draft changes in electricity trading rules. Representatives of the three distribution system operators (DSOs), the Sofia Municipality and the Bulgarian Association for Electrical Engineering and Electronics (BASEL) participated in the discussion.

These changes are designed to encourage electricity production for self-consumption

These changes are designed to encourage electricity production for self-consumption, minimize distribution losses, and foster more predictable energy pricing, a CMS e-alert reads. Furthermore, the amendments would ensure the Bulgarian rules comply with EU law, specifically directives 2018/2001 and 2019/944 and Regulation 2019/943.

The proposed draft introduces several specific provisions to facilitate the participation of the said new entities, CMS stressed.

It explicitly defines how new participants can join the market and the types of contracts they are permitted to conclude.

The new rules allow for the grouping of different sites for joint electricity production or consumption. They also set technical mandates for commercial metering devices, including remote reading capabilities.

The new rules also define calculation of generated, shared and sold electricity

The authors outlined procedures for registering or deregistering participants and groups with network operators. The update would impose an obligation to maintain a public register of these participants.

The proposed rules define the calculation of generated, shared and sold electricity. The framework guarantees that data is exchanged between suppliers, network operators, and group members, ensuring it is reflected in monthly bills.

Stakeholders were invited to submit their proposals from January 8 until January 22, CMS underscored.

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December 10, 2025
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Tens of thousands of new smart meters in Greece deemed inadequate

The rollout of smart meters in Greece has been plagued by delays and even technical mistakes in their procurement, affecting up to 250,000 measuring points.

The country is close to last in the European Union when it comes to the penetration of smart meters. In 2024, only 11% of consumers had such systems, versus 58% in Europe as a whole.

The Hellenic Distribution Network Operator (HEDNO or DEDDIE) began a gradual large-scale deployment a few years ago, with the goal of closing the gap. So far, 1.3 million smart meters have been installed in homes and businesses. The budget stands at EUR 1.4 billion up to the year 2030.

However, there appears to be a significant problem with the first meters that were procured and deployed in previous years. A few days ago, HEDNO published its proposal for the technical changes needed in the retail market codes, in order to activate dynamic pricing schemes from February 2026.

Utilizing smart metering, consumers will be able to benefit from lower prices during the day. Wholesale prices often reach zero around noon in Greece, as a result of high solar production.

Based on the document, the first batches of smart meters are not able to process real-time data and transmit them properly to HEDNO and the suppliers. It makes dynamic pricing impossible.

In total, up to 250,000 smart meters already installed and operational could be inadequate. A part of them can be adjusted through additional hardware, while for the rest no viable solution is seen except their replacement.

Complaints about wrongful power theft accusations

HEDNO also became the target of consumer complaints recently, regarding the lack of timely and proper power metering. Last year the metering period was reduced to a monthly interval. However, people complain of the operator not doing its job right, resulting in unfair charges.

Furthermore, HEDNO has been blamed of wrongly accusing consumers of power theft. Many such complaints have been filed, with claims that the operator is “trigger-happy” and that it identifies theft in cases where a simple change of consumption was located or a seal was damaged on the outside of a meter.

The Regulatory Authority for Energy, Waste and Water (RAEWW or RAAEY) has promised to take action to rectify the issues and restore balance and transparency in the market.

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April 6, 2025
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Montenegro labels 15 energy projects as infrastructure priorities

The most valuable priority infrastructure projects in the energy sector of Montenegro are the Komarnica and Kruševo hydropower plants, the Trans-Balkan Electricity Corridor and the Ionian-Adriatic pipeline.

The Government of Montenegro has adopted a list of priority infrastructure projects for the energy sector to fulfill the final criteria of chapter 21 – Trans-European Network, of the country’s negotiations on the accession to the European Union.

The list consists of 15 projects with a total estimated value of around EUR 1.38 billion, according to the announcement.

The EU will use list to consider financial support from the Western Balkans Investment Framework

The list was updated in line with the Western Balkans Investment Framework (WBIF) methodology. In line with priorities defined at the state level, the list is for the European Commission to select projects for financial support from the scheme.

WBIF is the main mechanism for the EU’s financial support in the region in the period from 2024 to 2027, the government noted.

The following projects are on the list:

  • HPP Komarnica – EUR 315 million
  • Ionian-Adriatic Pipeline for natural gas (IAP) – EUR 210 million
  • interconnection Italy – Montenegro – Serbia – Bosnia and Herzegovina (Trans-Balkan Electricity Corridor) – EUR 163 million
  • HPP Kruševo – EUR 160 million
  • energy efficiency in public and residential buildings – EUR 104 million
  • improving the quality of power supply in tourist regions – EUR 78 million
  • creation of conditions for the integration of renewables and the construction of a new power interconnection – EUR 73.6 million
  • solar power project Solari 10,000+ – EUR 66 million
  • Slano floating solar power plant – EUR 60 million
  • Krupac photovoltaic plant – EUR 40 million
  • smart grid and smart metering system for electricity distribution system operator CEDIS – EUR 35 million
  • A8 unit at HPP Perućica – EUR 24 million
  • smart grid program of electricity transmission system operator CGES – EUR 21 million
  • decarbonization – EUR 21 million
  • reconstruction of oil storage tanks – EUR 10 million.

Montenegro also has a list of priority infrastructure projects, including energy. It was introduced in 2018 and updated in the meantime.

Compared to the list from 2021, the Gvozd wind farm and the ecological reconstruction of the Pljevlja thermal power plant were erased, while the following projects were added: HPP Kruševo, Krupac solar power plant, decarbonization and the reconstruction of oil storage tanks.

Post Views:398