From September 2025 through August 2026, low-carbon sources supplied about three-quarters of Bulgaria’s electricity consumption, while fossil fuels supplied roughly one-quarter. Nuclear was the largest source, providing about 38% of electricity, followed by solar at 19%, hydropower at 12%, wind at just over 3%, and biofuels at about 3%. Among fossil sources, coal supplied about 19% and gas about 5%. Bulgaria therefore has a strong clean electricity foundation, with nuclear and solar together supplying more than half of its electricity, but reducing fossil generation further would help limit climate change and air pollution.

Is Electricity Growing in Bulgaria?

The latest figures show record growth in low-carbon electricity, although total electricity consumption remains below its historical peak. In 2026, consumption reached about 5,710 kWh per person, roughly 1,170 kWh—or 17%—below the record of about 6,880 kWh per person set in 2011. This comparison does not establish whether consumption increased or decreased in the latest year, but it shows that Bulgaria has not regained its earlier peak. Encouragingly, low-carbon electricity generation reached about 4,310 kWh per person, exceeding the previous record of about 3,970 kWh in 2025 by around 345 kWh, or 9%. Continued clean electricity growth is important to support electrification and rising demand from activities such as AI.

Suggestions

Bulgaria should build on its substantial nuclear and solar generation by expanding both, alongside wind and supporting grid infrastructure. Slovakia and France offer relevant European examples: nuclear supplies about two-thirds of electricity generation in each, demonstrating the substantial contribution this clean technology can make. For solar, the US states of Nevada and California generate about 35% and 31% of their electricity from sunlight, respectively, providing useful examples for scaling solar beyond Bulgaria’s current 19%. Nearby Greece, where wind supplies about 21% of electricity generation, is a particularly relevant regional reference; Lithuania, at 39%, also illustrates wind’s potential. Learning from these regions’ deployment experience while adapting projects to Bulgarian conditions could strengthen a diverse, growing low-carbon electricity supply.

History

Bulgaria’s low-carbon electricity history features several substantial periods of expansion. Nuclear generation increased by 2.8 TWh in 1981, 2 TWh in 1983, and 3 TWh in 1988, establishing a strong foundation during the 1980s. Further gains followed in the 1990s, including 2.4 TWh in 1993 and 1.9 TWh in 1995, with additional increases of 2.4 TWh in 2000, 1.8 TWh in 2005, and 1.7 TWh in 2014. Hydropower contributed notable increases of 1.6 TWh in 2010, 1.9 TWh in 2018, and 1.7 TWh in 2021. More recently, solar generation rose by 1.8 TWh in 2024, and hydropower added 1.6 TWh in 2026. These gains highlight Bulgaria’s demonstrated ability to expand clean electricity and provide a foundation for further nuclear, solar, and wind development.

Electricity Imports and Exports

Balance of Trade

* 12M = Last 12 months (Sep 2025 – Aug 2026) — a rolling 12-month period, not a calendar year.