Roumen Ovcharov was born on 5 July 1952 in Bourgas.
He graduated from the Moscow Institute of Energy with a degree in nuclear power stations and facilities. 
1979 - 1984 - he held different jobs at the Kozlodui N-plant climbing the hierarchy as high as chief executive in charge of a nuclear reactor.
1984 - 1986 - chief of the department on Science, Technological Progress, and Higher Education at the District Committee of the Bulgarian Communist Party in Blagoevgrad, and secretary of the party unit at the Energoproject enterprise.
1986 - 1990 - deputy director of Energoproject.
From 1990 up to 1995 he worked with the Committee for Non-military Use of  Atomic Energy /KIAMETs/, first as chief expert in nuclear safety, then as chief of the Nuclear Facilities Department and first deputy chairman of this committee.
He received post graduate training in Finland, Canada, France, and the United States.
1995 - 1996 - first vice-president of the Committee of Energy, and from June 1996 to 1997 he was Minister of Energy and Energy Resources in the Zhan Videnov cabinet; project director at the National Electricity Company.
1997 - deputy to the 38 National Assembly elected from the BSP.
Deputy leader of the BSP until May 1998.
Member of the Committee for Economic Policy and deputy chairman of the Committee of Energy and Energy Resources.
Member of the delegation to the Parliamentary Framework of the Central European Initiative.
Member of the Supreme Council of the BSP.
In February 1999 he accused the UDF government of involvement in a huge cigarette affair. His accusations concerned  two ministers, the chief of the Economic Affairs Committee, Nikolov, credit millionaire Krassimir Stoichev and some UDF-connected companies.
At the 43th Congress of the BSP held in May 1999 he stood for Parvanov's post as party leader, but received a minor vote.
On 12 July 1999 he was nominated for mayor of the capital by the BSP City Council in Sofia.
At the 44th Congress of the BSP held  6-7 May 2000 in Sofia, he was elected member of the Supreme Party Council.
The Plenum of the BSP held on 14 May 2000 elected Roumen Ovcharov and Gheorghi Bozhinov deputy party leaders.
2005 - elected deputy to the 40 National Assembly from the BSP. Appointed Minister of Energy and Economy in the coalition cabinet headed by Sergey Stanishev.
2009 - MP in the 41 National Assembly, Parliamentary Group of Coalition for Bulgaria (BSP). Deputy Chairperson of the Budget and Finance Committee; member of the Economic Policy, Energy and Tourism Committee.

Married, with three children.
Languages: Russian, English, and French.