site.bta31-Day Electricity Billing Period Complied with in 99 Per Cent of Cases - Minister

31-Day Electricity Billing Period Complied with in 99 Per Cent of Cases - Minister

Sofia, January 7 (BTA) - A check conducted at the electricity
distribution companies found that in 99 per cent of the cases
electricity consumption is billed within the mandatory 31-day
period, Energy Minister Temenouzhka Petkova said at Wednesday's
Cabinet meeting, cited by the Government Information Service.

She pointed out that less than 1 per cent of the readings were
taken after the 32nd but not later than the 35th day, describing
this as "good performance".

"We maintain fine communication with the electricity
distribution companies. I have informed them that the Ministry
of Energy will be exercising control on a monthly basis,"
Petkova said. She noted that the companies honoured the
commitment they assumed to make working arrangements so that the
billing would be done during the ten non-working days around
Christmas and the New Year.

There were problems with electricity billing in 2012. That
winter many people received extremely large bills, which
triggered massive protests and the then GERB cabinet resigned
under the pressure. In December 2014, the incumbents, responding
to complaints from electricity customers, warned that
distribution companies would be fined if their billing period
exceeded 31 days. VI/LG