Bulgaria

Getting Electricity in

Bulgaria

Below is a detailed summary of the procedures, time and cost required for a business to obtain an electricity connection for a newly constructed building in Bulgaria.

This information was collected as part of the Doing Business project, which measures and compares regulations relevant to the life cycle of a small- to medium-sized domestic business in 185 economies. The most recent round of data collection was completed in June 2012.

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  • Standardized Company

  • Name of Utility: CEZ Distribution Bulgaria AD
  • City: Sofia

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No. Procedure Time to Complete Associated Costs
1 Submit application for preliminary contract with CEZ Distribution Bulgaria and await estimate

An application cannot be submitted online because it needs to be signed. The application is submitted in one of the client centers of CEZ Distribution Bulgaria JSC. The following documents should be submitted with the application:

• Visa for exploration (this is an excerpt from the acting detailed development plan)
• Documents proving rights of ownership
• (if needed) Power of Attorney of the person submitting the application on behalf of the company
• Company documents - Court decision for registration
• BULSTAT and other documents

All documents except the visa for exploration need notarization. After depositing the application the customer has to wait for the estimate. The estimate is a preliminary contract that states the conditions for connection and how the site will be connected.
Agency: CEZ Distribution Bulgaria 		30 calendar days BGN 211.9
2 Receive preliminary contract and prepare design of connection works

After receiving the estimate (utility checks and prescribes the technical way/possibility for connection) and based on that estimate, the customer has to design the external connections. The customer would usually hire an electrical design firm for this. The design has to be coordinated with other agencies.
Agency: Electrical design firm 		24 calendar days BGN 1,500.0
3 Submit application for conclusion of contract with CEZ Distribution Bulgaria and await final contract and approval of design

Once the estimate is received, the customer should submit an application for the conclusion of the contract, accompanied with all documents in accordance with the Ordinance 6 for connection of producers and customers of electricity to the distribution network. The design for the external connection has to be included in this application because the utility has to approve it. The internal wiring of the warehouse is assessed by the contractor who is managing the overall warehouse project. The assessment of the internal wiring has to be submitted with this application.
Agency: CEZ Distribution Bulgaria 		26 calendar days no charge
4 Purchase material

The utility can buy and provide the material, however most of the customers choose to buy the material on the market themselves. The difference between the material cost and the connection fee paid by the customer will be reimbursed to the customer after the connection has been finalized.
Agency: Customer 		6 calendar days no charge
5 External connection works are carried out by the utility

External connection works involve digging, laying down the cables, installation of equipment and the connection. The physical works are done by the utility. The connection fee is also called fee for exploitation; it is a function of the power provided (140 kVA) and the distance from the point of connection.
Agency: CEZ Distribution Bulgaria 		37 calendar days BGN 31,135.0
6 Receive note from utility and conclude contract with electricity supplier, obtain meter installation and flow of electricity

After the external wiring is finished, CEZ Distribution will issue an official note to the customer. Along with the note, the customer can conclude a contract with the provider of electricity (CEZ Electro Bulgaria AD). The utility needs a copy of the contract for supply of electricity in order to install the meter. The contract is sent automatically to CEZ Distribution by CEZ Electro, the customer does not have to send it him/herself. When concluding the supply contract with CEZ Electro the client is informed when the meter will be installed.
Agency: CEZ Electro Bulgaria/CEZ Distribution Bulgaria AD 		7 calendar days no charge
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