Liberalized Market

   In accordance with the European directives, the liberalization of the electricity market in Bulgaria started in 2004. Since 2007 various categories of users receive access to the free market using a step-by-step approach. In the beginning only large industrial consumers connected to the transmission grid of high voltage were eligible to access the free market. After changes to the Energy Act in 2013 and the introduction of Supplier of last resort, the consumers connected to medium voltage grid were economically motivated to seek electric energy provider on the free market. In reality from 2013 to 2016 the majority of small business consumers and all household consumers remained in the so-called regulated market.

   As of April 1, 2016 every consumer of electric energy, regardless whether it is household or business consumer, has the opportunity to change its supplier of electricity. Before the full opening of the market only the consumers with hourly commercial measurement devices were eligible to access the free market. After April 1, through the introduction of the so-called standardized load profile, all electricity consumers without hourly metering devices may join the free market.