Bulgartransgaz EAD is certified as independent transmission operator of the Bulgarian gas transmission system with the Energy and Water Regulatory Commission’s Decision No.С-4 of 22.06.2015 in line with the requirements of Directive 2009/73/ЕC of the European Parliament and of the Council of 13 July 2009 concerning common rules for the internal market in natural gas, Regulation (ЕC) No.715/2009 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 13 July 2009 on conditions for access to the natural gas transmission networks and Chapter Eight „а“ of the Energy Law. The Decision is approved in line with the opinion of the European Commission of 22.04.2015.
With the entry into force of the Third Energy Package, Directive 2009/73/ЕC and Regulation (ЕC) No.715/2009 regulates the certification requirements for the transmission systems operators. Of the three regulated operators’ models of which EU Member States can choose, Bulgaria has chosen the model Independent Transmission Operator – ITO. In line with this model the transmission operator and the network assets are in a separate legal entity within the vertically integrated undertaking.
The Decision approved by EWRC acknowledges the compliance of Bulgartransgaz EAD with the certification criteria and the independence criteria, namely:
- The Management Board of ITO is the competent authority for the decisions on the operator’s day to day activities, the management of the network and the activities, required for the preparation of the Ten Year Network Development Plan;
- ITO has the right to take independent decisions concerning the assets required for the functioning, maintenance or development of the transmission network and the management of gas flows;
- The professional independence requirements applying to the members of Bulgartransgaz EAD Management Board and the members of Bulgartransgaz EAD Supervisory Board have been met;
- Bulgartransgaz EAD has all the human, technical, physical and financial resources, required for the implementation of the obligations related to the natural gas transmission activity;
- Has its own identity, independent IT systems and equipment, independent premises and security access systems thereto, as well as different external contractors or external consultants for these systems concerning access thereto;
- When implementing its activity, the ITO shall provide services that are non-discriminatory for the different network users and does not restrict, distort or prevent competition in generation or supply.
Bulgartransgaz EAD certification as independent transmission operator and the proof of compliance with the requirements for independence affirm the Bulgarian national gas transmission operator to be a reliable and stable partner of the integrated European energy market. In the national context it will help to increase the opportunities of application and approval of Bulgarian project proposals for financial assistance under the Connecting Europe Facility (CEF) as part of the projects of common European interest.