Podcast in English
Text size
Bulgarian National Radio © 2025 All Rights Reserved

Japan's Toshiba to help restore Chaira power station

Photo: me.government.bg

Toshiba Energy Systems & Solutions Corporation will assist Bulgaria in bringing the Chaira power plant back into operation as soon as possible. The news was announced after the visit of the Bulgarian Minister of Energy, Vladimir Malinov, to Tokyo.


The Chaira pumped-storage hydroelectric power station in Rila, below the Belmeken dam, is the largest underground power station in south-east Europe, with four reversible pump turbines. However, it has been out of operation since 2022 due to its out-of-service turbines. 


Toshiba is the manufacturer and supplier of the plant's equipment and the owner of the technical and manufacturing documentation for the project. This made it imperative to award the repair work to this manufacturer, the Energy Ministry said. 


During Malinov's visit, it also became clear that Hitachi is interested in participating in the development of Bulgaria's power grid and is ready to share its experience in building transformers and small modular reactors.


The year 2024 marks 115 years since the first official contacts between Bulgaria and Japan and 85 years since the establishment of diplomatic relations between the two countries.



Последвайте ни и в Google News Showcase, за да научите най-важното от деня!
Listen to the daily news from Bulgaria presented in "Bulgaria Today" podcast, available in Spotify.

More from category

Bulgaria to build balancing power plants in the Balkans

Increasing energy connectivity between countries in the region of Southeast Europe will reduce electricity prices, increase competitiveness and security of supply . This was stated by Energy Minister Zhecho Stankov at the Energy Summit, organized by the..

published on 2/26/25 10:36 AM

Bulgarian President Rumen Radev speaks with representatives of the Vietnamese community in Bulgaria

The common will and economic potential of the two countries are important prerequisites for the upward development of bilateral relations, said President Rumen Radev at a meeting with the Ambassador of Vietnam Do Hoang Long . The meeting was also..

published on 2/26/25 10:15 AM
Bulgarian President Rumen Radev (right) and the secretary-general of the World Tourism Organization Zurab Pololikashvili

The Secretary-General of the World Tourism Organization visits Bulgaria

The prospects for developing the significant potential of tourism in Bulgaria were discussed at a meeting between the Bulgarian Head of State Rumen Radev and the Secretary-General of the UN World Tourism Organization Zurab Pololikashvili. The..

published on 2/26/25 9:15 AM