site.bta Bulgaria Has Highest Increase of Energy Poor Users in EU - Energy Regulator Head Ivanov

Bulgaria Has Highest Increase of Energy Poor Users in EU - Energy Regulator Head Ivanov

Sofia, January 27 (BTA) - Bulgaria practically has the highest increase of energy poor users in the EU according to the definitions given in statistics of the European Commission, Energy and Water Regulatory Commission (EWRC) head Ivan Ivanov told journalists Wednesday.
  
He said that a working group comprising representatives of the Energy Ministry, the Labour and Social Policy Ministry and EWRC will formulate by the end of April the definition for vulnerable users  in relation to the functioning of the liberalized energy market. The working group will also determine the criteria for assessing and classifying the users in this category, and elaborate the measures for supporting these people. In Ivanov's words, the cooperation of the National Ombudsman has been requested to this end.

Taking questions, Ivanov commented that the turning off of the central heating appliances at home cannot be a criterion for the user's energy poverty. "I too can turn off my radiator, but this does not mean that I am an energy poor user," he added.
  
In Ivanov's personal opinion, a possible criterion can be the energy needs of the users and whether these exceed 10 per cent of the household's budget, because this is the manner in which the energy poor users are identified at the European level. When the needs for a normal living and normal temperature in the dwelling require the users to spend more than 10 per cent of  their family incomes, they are regarded as energy poor," he explained.