Sofia's Druzhba 2 District Faces Phased Heat Supply Interruption for Urgent Repairs

Heat Supply Halted for Critical Infrastructure Overhaul

Toplofikatsiya Sofia, the capital's district heating company, commenced a significant repair project today, October 2, 2025, leading to a phased interruption of heat supply to the Druzhba 2 district and the Tsarigradski complex. The initial shutdown for the entire affected area is slated to last until October 6, 2025. This extensive overhaul is projected to continue until December 30, 2025, impacting thousands of residents in 120 residential buildings.

Decades of Deterioration Necessitate Urgent Repairs

The repairs are deemed critical due to the severely deteriorated condition of the heating network, which is over 35 years old. Last winter, the company received over 900 complaints from 97 buildings in Druzhba-2, primarily concerning poor heating, leaks, and breakdowns. Investigations revealed significant water losses, escalating from 150 tonnes per hour to 250 tonnes per hour within four months, indicating a critical need for intervention to prevent even longer outages during the current heating season. The project aims to resolve these long-standing issues, with expectations to improve heating quality and ensure reliability for the next 30 years.

Phased Approach Amidst Public Outcry

While the overall repair project spans three months, Petar Petrov, Executive Director of Toplofikatsiya Sofia, clarified that heat supply will not be cut for the entire duration for all residents. Instead, the work will proceed in stages, with individual households experiencing interruptions for approximately 7 to 15 days. The Tsarigradski complex is expected to face a shorter, three-day shutdown during the initial valve installation phase. Despite these assurances, the timing of the repairs, coinciding with the onset of the heating season, has ignited considerable public dissatisfaction. Residents of Druzhba 2 have organized protests, expressing frustration over the lack of advance notice and the potential for prolonged periods without heating and hot water.

Official Responses and Calls for Accountability

The situation has drawn the attention of several high-ranking officials. The Ombudsman, Velislava Delcheva, referred the matter to Parliament's Energy Committee after receiving over 200 complaints in a single day. Sofia Mayor Vasil Terziev criticized the 'absurd situation' facing thousands of families and called for an external technical, financial, and business audit of Toplofikatsiya Sofia. Energy Minister Zhecho Stankov condemned the three-month heat supply cut, emphasizing that such work should ideally be completed between May and early October. He announced that teams from the Ministry of Energy would monitor the repairs to accelerate the process. Executive Director Petar Petrov stated that no compensation would be provided to affected residents due to the company's financial difficulties.