June 22 (SeeNews) - Bulgaria's Varna thermal power plant (TPP) is seeking a 35-year extension of its operating licence, according to documents published by the country's energy regulator.
The power plant's current 20-year licence for electricity production will expire in March 2021, the documents, published on the website of the Energy and Water Regulatory Commission show.
The regulator will discuss the power plant operator's request on June 24, it said.
Varna TPP currently has three functioning units of 210 MW each - Units 4, 5 and 6. The power plant's units 1, 2 and 3 were decommissioned in 2017.
In 2018, Czech energy group CEZ sold Varna TPP to Bulgarian logistics company Sigda, which was then owned by the children of former transport minister Danail Papazov. Subsequently, Ahmed Dogan, honorary chairman of Bulgaria's Movement for Rights and Freedoms (DPS) party, acquired a 70% stake in Sigda.