site.btaRegulator Suggests 11% Hike of Natural Gas from July

Sofia, June 15 (BTA) - The Energy and Water Regulatory Commission (EWRC) has suggested an increase in the price of natural gas by 10.81 per cent from July 1, lower than the 18,5 per cent requested by public supplier Bulgargaz. This has transpired from a report published on Friday on the website of the Commission. Bulgargaz will sell natural gas ar 400.95 lv per 1,000 cu m or 37.79 lv per MWh, excise duty and VAT tax excluded. Access and transit fees are not factored in the price.

Bulgargaz requested a price of 427.12 lv per 1,000 cu m, which is an increase by 18.05 per cent from the current prices of 361.82 leva. The public supplier motivated the hike with the expected higher prices of alternatives fuels on the global markets respectively by 11 per cent for mazut and 11.56 per cent for gas oil which will lead to higher delivery prices by Gazprom Export by 11.5 per cent. The Commission's experts agreed with the estimations of the gas supplier but argue that there are advance receipts from previous periods, so the increase wonТt be so steep.

EWRC's proposal will be discussed by the end of June. The price of heat energy will likely go up as well.