Power Outages Plague Troyan Municipality for Third Day
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The Troyan municipality in bulgaria is grappling with widespread power outages that have persisted for three consecutive days. Donka mihailova, the mayor of Troyan, expressed growing concern over the deteriorating condition of the country’s electricity transmission network. She highlighted that all 21 villages within the municipality experienced a complete loss of power, describing the situation as a “record” in terms of severity.
Mihailova emphasized that she had repeatedly raised the issue of the aging power grid at the highest levels of government, but no substantial progress had been made. She warned that if this trend continues, the consequences coudl be dire.
“As far as black humor being applicable to such a dire situation, yes, that’s a record. It’s really been achieved this time,because all 21 villages remained without electricity in the municipality of Troyan,and this fact is indicative of the state of the electricity transmission network,which with each subsequent year is less and less able to withstand the pressure of even such snow,which cannot be defined as a disaster,” Mihailova stated.
On the morning of st. Stephen’s Day, six villages still lacked electricity. Mihailova painted a grim picture: “On the third day, the inhabitants are in the dark and in the cold. Until last night, all 21 villages on the territory of the municipality were without electricity.” While the city of Troyan itself was largely spared, the southern part, home to a major bread production company, was affected.
Adding to the misery, interaction networks were also disrupted. “Last night (on the evening of December 26, b. r.) electricity was restored in the southern part of the city, but the problems are really extremely serious, because yesterday with the mayors of the majority of these 21 villages we had no mobile connection because there was no mobile phone service provided, and in some villages the water stopped. And the situation was close to disaster,” Mihailova explained.
Former Finance Minister Simeon Dyankov took to social media to express his frustration, noting that his village was also without power for three days. He publicly questioned Eurohold, the energy company, about its whereabouts, suggesting they were on vacation while citizens suffered.
Eurohold responded, stating that 150 emergency teams were working to restore power, some in collaboration with the Electricity System Administrator (ESO), which manages the high-voltage network. The company highlighted the challenges posed by insufficient investment in the power grid, frequently enough hindered by regulatory hurdles.
Western Bulgaria Hit Hard by Snow, Over 150 Teams Working to Restore Power
As heavy snow blanketed Western Bulgaria, causing widespread power outages, over 150 teams from “Electrohold” have been working tirelessly to restore electricity. As of 6:00 p.m. on December 26th, significant progress had been made in repairing the damage, which primarily occurred overnight. The company assures the public that restoration efforts will continue non-stop until power is fully restored. While many areas have seen power come back online, some settlements in the municipalities of Apriltsi, Troyan, Teteven, Lovech, and the area surrounding Samokov remain especially affected. Teams from ERM Zapad and the state Electricity System Operator (ESO) are collaborating to address the issues in the Loveshka region. Thankfully, Sofia, the Pleven region, and Sofia city experienced no major incidents. Repair work is underway on specific overhead power lines that supply residential areas around the capital. The challenging conditions, including impassable roads, fallen trees, strong winds, and ice buildup on wires due to dropping temperatures, are hampering recovery efforts. “Electrohold” revealed that approximately 95% of the outages on their network in Western Bulgaria are caused by tall trees falling on power lines. Since these trees are often located outside designated easement areas, ERM West is restricted from removing them.Recognizing this issue, “Electrohold” is working with local authorities and the NSORB to revise regulations and expand the easement areas around power lines. This proactive approach aims to considerably reduce the frequency of such incidents and minimize future power outages. For the latest updates on outages and estimated restoration times, customers can visit the “About the Client” section, specifically the “Interruptions” subsection, on the ERM Zapad website at https://www.ermzapad.bg. To report power outages, customers can utilize the electronic communication form available at https://info.ermzapad.bg/webint/vok/contact-us.php or call the 24/7 hotline at 0700 10 010.## Interview with Mayor Donka Mihailova on Troyan’s Power Crisis
**Archyde:** Mayor Mihailova, thank you for joining us today. The municipality of Troyan has been grappling with severe power outages for three consecutive days. Can you describe the situation on the ground?
**Mayor Mihailova:** The situation is deeply worrying, to say the least.All 21 villages within the municipality have experienced complete power loss, a fact unprecedented in our recent history. While the city of Troyan itself has been largely spared, the southern part, which houses a major bread production company, was significantly affected. This outage isn’t just an inconvenience; it means people are left in the cold and dark, with heating systems down and essential services disrupted.
**Archyde:** You mentioned that communication networks have also been affected.
**Mayor Mihailova:** Yes,the mobile network was down in many villages,making it unfeasible for us to coordinate relief efforts effectively. Adding to the distress, some villages also experienced water shortages, pushing the situation closer to a genuine disaster.
**Archyde:** You’ve expressed concerns about the aging power grid in the past.
Do you believe this outage is indicative of a larger systemic problem?
**Mayor Mihailova:** Absolutely. This situation is a stark reminder of the
deteriorating state of Bulgaria’s electricity transmission network. I’ve repeatedly raised this issue
with the highest levels of government, but sadly, little progress has been made.
If we don’t address this problem urgently, the consequences will be dire.
**Archyde:** Former Finance Minister Simeon Dyankov also voiced his concerns, highlighting
the lack of response from the energy company Eurohold. What is your
message to them and to the government?
**Mayor Mihailova:** My message is clear: immediate action is needed.This is not
just about restoring power; it’s about securing the wellbeing of our citizens.
We need a thorough plan to upgrade the power grid and ensure
a reliable energy supply for all Bulgarians, not just those residing in
major cities. The indifference displayed by Eurohold is unacceptable,
and the government must hold them accountable for this crisis.These
are not ordinary times; people are suffering, and they deserve better.
**Thank you for your time, Mayor Mihailova.We hope to see a swift resolution
to this pressing issue.**
