The European Commission has approved state aid amounting to EUR 142 million (BGN 278 million) to support the energy sector, BNR’s correspondent in Brussels reports. The money is being granted to alleviate part of the expenses of the companies which filled the underground gas storage facility Chiren, in November 2022, to 80% before the start of the heating season. The aid will be in the form of direct grants to the natural gas suppliers to compensate for part of their losses sustained as a result of the storage of expensive gas in the summer of 2022 with the aim of fulfilling the country’s obligation to store and subsequently sell it at lower prices from November 2022 to April 2024. The ceiling for the aid is EUR 76.7 per MWh. In calculating the final amount of state aid, only half of the stored gas can be taken into account. The scheme will be in force until the end of this year.