Bulgaria's power exports are expected to increase by an annual 30 per cent to more than 10 billion kWh in 2011, weekly Capital said on November 24 2011 citing Mityu Hristozov, head of the national dispatching centre of Electricity System Operator (ESO).

The increase results from the lower output of hydropower plants in the region because of scarce water resources, he said.

According to Hristozov, Bulgaria also suffered water resource shortages, which will trim local hydropower stations' electricity generation by more than 30 per cent.

Hristozov also expects that energy consumption in the country will be record-high this year, rising by four per cent year on year against an average annual growth rate of one per cent to 1.5 per cent between 2000 and 2010.