site.bta Green Energy Producers Want Unlawfully Collected Charges to Be Paid in Heating Allowances

Green Energy Producers Want Unlawfully Collected Charges to Be Paid in Heating Allowances

Sofia, October 1 (BTA) - Meglena Russenova, Chair of the Board
of the Bulgarian Photovoltaic Association (BPVA), told the
Bulgarian National Radio on Tuesday that the government should
transfer to direct heating allowances for disadvantaged people
150 million leva collected from solar and wind power plants this
year. They were collected in the form of a 20 per cent charge
on the revenues from green energy production, which was revoked
by the Constitutional Court as unlawful.

The 20 per cent charge on the revenues of solar and wind power
plants was introduced by the government of the Bulgarian
Socialist Party and the Movement for Rights and Freedoms through
the 2014 National Budget Act, and the projected revenues were
to be a budget buffer. Although it was said that the collected
charges could offset the National Electricity Company's losses
from buying expensive green energy and selling it at prices set
by the energy regulator below the cost price of electricity, or
the charges could go towards an increase in heating allowances,
the previous government did not make a decision. President Rosen
Plevneliev did not veto the Budget Act, with the reservation
that he would refer the matter to the Constitutional Court.

Russenova said that although the Court revoked the charge, there
is no legal mechanism for solar and wind power producers to be
reimbursed. That is why the money should be transferred for
heating allowances, according to the BPVA.

"This is important for society because it will put an end to
allegations that green energy producers are to blame for the
price of electricity or the deficit of the National Electricity
Company (NEK)," said Russenova.

The state-owned NEK stopped payments to photovoltaic plants for
the first time in the last two months, although it paid nearly
98 per cent of the sums due to polluting producers, said
Russenova, adding: "For us, this is a double standard and
unconcealed lobbying."

"There is no will to find a comprehensive solution to the
sector's problems. There is a refusal to ask the European
Commission to update its report of 2013 and make
recommendations. There is open lobbying and protection of some
polluting producers of a certain owner. The operation of some
polluting facilities which should have been closed down was
extended. Brussels may launch an infringement procedure against
Bulgaria for the extension of their operation in breach of the
EU's environmental legislation," said Russenova. She was
commenting on the caretaker government's recent decision to
extend the operation of one of the two blocks of the Bobov Dol
thermal power plant, owned by Hristo Kovachki, after a protest
at the Bobov Dol coal mines also owned by him.

The largest deficiency in the energy sector is the lack of
legality and application of EU standards, the expert said.

She argued that the European Commission should send a mission
and place Bulgaria under monitoring for the implementation of
EU policies. Clearly, there is no will for this now, and the
[Economy and Energy] Ministry is unable to deal with the
challenges of reform in the energy sector."