Bulgarian Ministry of Economy and Energy, Dr. Stoyan Stalev, executive director of the InvestBulgaria Agency has awarded a first-class investor certificate to Vetrocom.

The first-class Investor Certificate is the highest investor rank in Bulgaria and is awarded to companies with a minimum investment volume of BGN70 million (EUR36 million). According to the regulations established by Bulgaria’s Investment Encouragement Act, such investments are promoted by means of various measures, including administrative and financial assistance in developing the necessary infrastructure for the project.

Construction is scheduled to begin in spring 2009, and the facility is expected to go into operation at the end of 2010.

Implementation of the project will create around 100 permanent and temporary jobs, among other things in the construction, electrical installation and transport areas. Construction of the wind farm in Bulgaria is part of Alpiq’s strategy of increasing the share of renewable energies. The Alpiq energy group was created in early 2009 as a result of the merger between Atel and EOS.