Global GridBulgaria's energy mix and electricity
🇧🇬 In 2025, Bulgaria generated 38.0 TWh of electricity. The largest source was nuclear at 39%, followed by coal (23%) and solar (18%). In total, 72% came from low-carbon sources (nuclear and renewables) and 28% from fossil fuels.
On average, each kilowatt hour produced about 275 grams of carbon dioxide (CO₂), below the world average of 458 grams in 2025. That makes Bulgaria the 56th cleanest of 158 countries that generate at least 1 TWh a year.
Electricity demand was 36.7 TWh. Bulgaria exported 1.32 TWh more electricity than it imported.
Since 2000, electricity generation has fallen by 6.4%, from 40.6 TWh. The low-carbon share went from 52% to 73%. The biggest rise was in solar, from 0% to 18% of generation. The biggest fall was in coal, from 42% to 23%. Carbon intensity fell from 458 to 275 grams per kWh.
Live, hour-by-hour figures for Bulgaria are not connected yet. The dashboard shows its yearly figures, energy mix since 2000 and interconnector trade.
Energy mix in 2025
- Nuclear 39%
- Coal 23%
- Solar 18%
- Hydro 6.7%
- Gas 4.9%
- Bioenergy 4.5%
- Wind 3.5%
- Oil and other fossil fuels 0.7%
| Source | Share | Generated |
|---|---|---|
| Nuclear | 39% | 14.9 TWh |
| Coal | 23% | 8.55 TWh |
| Solar | 18% | 6.92 TWh |
| Hydro | 6.7% | 2.55 TWh |
| Gas | 4.9% | 1.86 TWh |
| Bioenergy | 4.5% | 1.71 TWh |
| Wind | 3.5% | 1.33 TWh |
| Oil and other fossil fuels | 0.7% | 0.27 TWh |
Total energy mix in 2024
Electricity is only part of the energy Bulgaria uses: fuel for transport, heating and industry counts too. In 2024, Bulgaria used 192 TWh of energy in all (primary energy). The largest source was oil at 32%, followed by nuclear (20%) and coal (17%). Fossil fuels made up 63% and low-carbon sources (nuclear and renewables) 37%.
- Oil 32%
- Nuclear 20%
- Coal 17%
- Gas 14%
- Solar 7%
- Hydro 3.7%
- Other renewables 2.8%
- Wind 1.8%
- Biofuels 1.1%
| Source | Share of all energy |
|---|---|
| Oil | 32% |
| Nuclear | 20% |
| Coal | 17% |
| Gas | 14% |
| Solar | 7% |
| Hydro | 3.7% |
| Other renewables | 2.8% |
| Wind | 1.8% |
| Biofuels | 1.1% |
Primary energy, with nuclear and renewable electricity counted as the fuel a power station would need to make it (the "substitution method"). Here "other renewables" is the Energy Institute's "geothermal, biomass and other" power generation, and biofuels are liquid fuels such as ethanol and biodiesel. Source: Energy Institute Statistical Review of World Energy via Our World in Data (CC BY 4.0).
Energy security score
Strong. Bulgaria ranks 30th of 158 countries and 10th of 39 in Europe. The score shows how well a country could keep electricity affordable and on if fuel supplies were disrupted.
| Measure | Score |
|---|---|
| Produces its own energy In 2024, Bulgaria produced energy equal to 51% of all the energy it used (100% or more scores full marks). | 51 |
| Variety of power sources How evenly generation is spread across nine sources. The largest, nuclear, made 39%. | 85 |
| Little reliance on imported power Bulgaria exported more electricity than it imported, so it scores full marks. | 100 |
| Low-carbon power Nuclear and renewables made 72% of generation. | 72 |
| Low gas and oil use Gas and oil made 5.6% of generation; the score is 100 minus that share. | 94 |
The five measures are weighted 30%, 20%, 20%, 15% and 15%. How the score works.
Oil and gas pipelines
Global Energy Monitor lists 3,433 km of oil and gas pipelines operating in Bulgaria, 100 km being built and 1,671 km proposed (lengths measured along the mapped routes; a pipeline crossing borders counts in full for each country).
See them on the interactive map · Pipelines around the world
How it has changed
| Year | Generated | Low-carbon | Fossil | CO₂ g/kWh |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | 40.6 TWh | 52% | 49% | 458 |
| 2005 | 43.9 TWh | 53% | 48% | 454 |
| 2010 | 45.9 TWh | 46% | 54% | 521 |
| 2015 | 48.7 TWh | 51% | 50% | 495 |
| 2020 | 40.1 TWh | 60% | 41% | 384 |
| 2024 | 38.3 TWh | 71% | 29% | 279 |
| 2025 | 38.0 TWh | 73% | 29% | 275 |
Questions about Bulgaria's energy
What is Bulgaria's energy mix?
In 2025, Bulgaria's electricity came from nuclear 39%, coal 23%, solar 18% and hydro 6.7%. Counting all the energy it uses, including fuel for transport and heating, the mix in 2024 was oil 32%, nuclear 20%, coal 17% and gas 14%.
How much of Bulgaria's electricity is renewable?
33% of its electricity came from renewables in 2025 (solar 18%, hydro 6.7%, bioenergy 4.5% and wind 3.5%). Including nuclear power, 72% of its electricity was low-carbon.
What is Bulgaria's main source of electricity?
Nuclear, which made 39% of its electricity in 2025.
How clean is Bulgaria's electricity?
About 275 grams of CO₂ for each kilowatt hour in 2025, below the world average of 458 grams. It ranks 56th cleanest of 158 countries that generate at least 1 TWh a year.
Does Bulgaria import electricity?
It is a net exporter: in 2025 it exported 1.32 TWh more electricity than it imported.
How secure is Bulgaria's energy supply?
Global Grid's energy security score for Bulgaria is 77 out of 100 (strong), 30th of 158 countries. It looks at how much of its own energy it produces, how varied its power sources are, its reliance on imported power and its use of low-carbon power, gas and oil.
Other countries in Europe
Sources: Ember yearly electricity data (CC BY 4.0), figures up to 2025; energy production and use by source from the Energy Institute Statistical Review via Our World in Data (CC BY 4.0), 2024; pipelines and LNG terminals from Global Energy Monitor's Global Oil Infrastructure Tracker (June 2026 release) and Global Gas Infrastructure Tracker (November 2025 release) (CC BY 4.0). Ember's latest-year figures are first estimates and may be revised. TWh: terawatt hours (one billion kWh).