Bulgarian leader claims gas is the answer

SOFIA, Bulgaria, May 29 (UPI) -- Bulgaria will turn to natural gas for electricity.

Bulgarian Economy and Energy Minister Peter Dimitrov said natural gas is a better option for electricity generation, Xinhua reported.

Natural gas will be able to provide cheaper energy as two major gas pipelines, Nabucco and South Stream, are planned to run across Bulgaria, Dimitrov said during his address at an international conference held in the Bulgarian capital, Sofia, on Modern Energy Technologies against Climate Change.

Dimitrov said it is important that natural gas be more widely used in households as the price of electricity generated by coal-fired power stations is increasing as consumers and utilities will have to begin paying for greenhouse gas emissions.

The growing Bulgarian economy has caused increased energy consumption and a new energy strategy is needed.

Besides natural gas, he said, the country will develop hydroelectric power plants, renewable energy sources such as wind and solar energy, and renovated conventional coal-fired power stations.