site.btaEnergy Regulator to Decide on Heat Energy Price on April 7

Energy Regulator to Decide on Heat Energy Price on April 7

Sofia, April 4 (BTA) - The Energy and Water Regulatory Commission (EWRC) will take a final decision on whether to increase the heat energy price at a closed-door meeting on April 7, EWRC Chair Ivan Ivanov told journalists on Tuesday. Before that he took part in an open meeting of the regulator.

Asked whether the regulator would not delay the decision until the convention of the 44th National Assembly, Ivanov replied that this is impossible because Gazprom has been charging higher prices on the supplies to Bulgargaz as of April 1.

Georgi Belovski, CEO of the Sofia Heating Utility, described the new increase of the heat energy price as normal. "Although the increase is tangible, it will not cover the company's deficit. However, we believe that the proposal is consistent with the market situation," Belovski said.

Ombudsman Maya Manolova, who also took part in the Tuesday meeting of EWRC, voiced strong concern with the "shocking increase" of the prices of natural gas and, respectively, of heat energy and electricity, which will trigger appreciation of other goods and services. "We did not hear an explanation why, given that the natural gas price has increased by 15 per cent on the world market, its increase is around 30 per cent in Bulgaria." The gas price decreased by nearly 87 per cent from April 1, 2015 to April 1, 2017. At the same time, heat energy prices dropped by 21.93 per cent. "Our estimates show that the decrease should have been 49.6 per cent and not 21.93 per cent. This means that the heating utility has enough buffers," the Ombudsman observed.

In the meantime, citizens gathered in front of the EWRC building to protest the hikes. A representative of the protestors, Anton Nikolov, entered the hall during the EWRC meeting and insisted that the EWRC Chair goes outs in the street and meets the protestors. There were over 150 people chanting "Resignation!" Ivanov told the protestors that the Commission is unable to change the natural gas price and that this price depends on the clauses of the contract between Bulgaria and Gazprom. "It is a pity a wrong impression has been created that the Commission regulates this price. We just check whether it complies with the Bulgaria-Gazprom contract and, of course, with the relevant regulations," said Ivanov.

The Bulgarian Socialist Party and the Confederation of Independent Trade Unions in Bulgaria also declared themselves against the energy regulator decision for an increase of the natural gas price.