In brief
Energy Minister Iva Petrova disclosed that approximately 28 % of Bulgaria’s population – more than 1.8 million people – face energy poverty during a World Bank assessment presentation. She urged the development of a long‑term programme with interim targets for 2030 and a goal to eliminate the problem by 2050, stressing the need to balance energy security, competitiveness, and affordable prices. The announcement came at a ceremony hosted at the Grand Hotel Sofia.
Sofia, September 18, 2026 – Energy Minister Iva Petrova announced that more than 1.8 million people, or about 28 % of Bulgaria’s population, are living in energy poverty during a presentation of a World Bank Group assessment on poverty and equity in the country.
World Bank Assessment
The assessment, titled "Green and Inclusive Futures: Creating Opportunities in the Green Transition," was prepared in cooperation with the Ministry of Labour and Social Policy and the Ministry of Energy. It was presented at the Grand Hotel Sofia, the venue chosen for its central location and capacity to host officials and experts from across the public sector.
Petrova highlighted that the figures the study revealed underscore the need for consistent long‑term solutions. She described energy poverty as a condition where households cannot afford adequate heating, cooling, or lighting, and emphasized its impact on people’s quality of life, economic activity and sustainable development.
Policy Pathways
In her address, the minister noted that Bulgaria has recently introduced a definition of energy poverty, indicating progress in the legislative and institutional framework. She stressed that the next priority is to design a long‑term programme to reduce energy poverty by 2050, with clear intermediate milestones for 2030.
"One of the important tasks ahead of us is to develop a long‑term programme to reduce energy poverty by 2050, with interim targets for 2030," the Minister said.
Petrova added that Bulgaria’s government programme through 2030 already contains eleven measures aimed at supporting the most vulnerable consumers of energy services. She urged that these measures be coordinated across ministries to ensure consistency and measurable progress.
The minister also addressed the challenge of balancing energy security, the sector’s competitiveness and affordable prices for consumers. She said that a sustainable energy policy must accommodate households’ financial circumstances while maintaining a resilient supply chain and a dynamic market.
At the time of the presentation, Petrova emphasized that the country’s energy future would involve not only meeting immediate needs but also laying the groundwork for a low‑carbon economy. She called for ongoing collaboration with the World Bank and other partners to track progress and refine strategies as the nation moves toward its 2050 target.
