Fuel-energy balance analysis of Bulgaria for 1997

In the beginning of 1997 the economic crisis decreased GNP with 21 % and influenced all industrial branches. Hyper inflation, budgetary deficit, bankruptcy of the commercial banks, foreign trade disorders, etc. The total energy consumption was about 30 mil. t equivalent fuel, with decreasing with 6.5 % compared to 1996. The share of the fossil fuels was 38 %, that of natural gas - 17 %, of nuclear energy - 22-23 % and of oil fuel - also about 22-23 %. The share of hydroelectric power production was above 1%. The total decreasing of energy and fuel consumption was 12 % compared to 1996. The share of the industrial consumption was still as high as 60.3 % (about 30 % in the developed countries). The decreasing of the industrial production led to total smaller consumption of electricity with 7.2 % (1996) to 39.3 bill. kWh. The significant dependence on import fuels continued because of lack of significant structural reform in industrial sectors which remain the biggest consumers of energy. The biggest share of energy consumption is that of the thermo energy (33.5 %) followed by gas fuels (26 %), electricity (20 %), fossil fuels (14%) and oil fuels - 7 %. The ferrous metallurgy has the biggest share in the country energy consumption - 16 %, followed by the chemical production - 11.6 %, coke, oil-refining products and nuclear fuel production - 5.4 % and food and beverage production (including tobacco manufacturing) - 3.4 %