site.btaElectricity Distributors Get 460 Penal Orders after Audits of Five Years of Activity

104 ECONOMY - ELECTRICITY DISTRIBUTORS - AUDITS

Electricity Distributors Get
460 Penal Orders after Audits
of Five Years of Activity


Sofia, January 14 (BTA) - Unveiling audits covering the period
from July 1, 2008 until November 30, 2013, State Energy and
Water Regulatory Commission (SEWRC) Chairwoman Svetla Todorova
said on January 13 that the authorities issued 460 penal orders
against Bulgaria's three electricity distribution companies,
claiming 9.2 million leva in damage. Todorova presented the
findings of the audits, conducted between January and April
2014, to the parliamentary Committee Monitoring SEWRC.

The authorities issued 415 protocols of findings to the three
companies, including 120 to EVN, 183 to Energo-Pro and 112 to
CEZ. These protocols can potentially lead to administrative
trials if they point to violations committed within the last
five years.

SEWRC also issued 1,805 statements of administrative violations,
including 374 against EVN, 450 against Energo-Pro and 981
against CEZ, Todorova said. In 512 of these cases, the
authorities concluded that the violations were insignificant and
only issued warnings.

Between January and March 2013, claimants filed around 4,000
complaints against the electricity distributors every month. The
distributors delayed their responses by between five and ten
days.

Administrative law proceedings have been completed in 975 cases
against the electricity distributors, resulting in 460 penal
orders which imposed fines of 20,000 leva in each case. The
fines are not due immediately, but only after the respective
court trials are completed, Todorova explained. Fifty-five
trials have been instituted so far, she added.

SEWRC has difficulty presenting its statements to the three
companies, which is why penalties are delayed, Todorova said.
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