site.btaState Energy Regulator, Energy Ministry Take Joint Actions to Relieve Pressure on Electricity End Prices in April

State Energy Regulator, Energy Ministry  Take Joint Actions to Relieve Pressure  on Electricity End Prices in April


Sofia, January 8 (BTA) - The State Energy and Water Regulatory
Commission (SEWRC) and the Energy Ministry are taking joint
actions to relieve the pressure on the end prices of electricity
 in April. January is too early to talk about an electricity
price increase in April, said SEWRC chief Svetla Todorova on
Thursday, adding that the Commission and the Energy Ministry are
 in the process of specifying all possible legislative and other
 initiatives, which must be taken in the short-run - by the end
of March - so that the pressure on the end price of electricity
is relieved.

According to Todorova, a programme with short- and long-term
goals has been developed and received by SEWRC on Wednesday.
Joint actions are yet to be taken before the prices can be
changed, she explained. 

Among the short-term goals set in the programme are negotiations
 with the US power plants, the renewable energy sources and
co-generation facilities, Todorova noted. According to her,
those who produce (energy) inefficiently could be excluded from
the preferential prices. According to the Energy Ministry, the
negotiations with the US power plants should be over by the end
of February, Todorova said, adding that there are no reasons for
 not making the programme public. It includes the problem, the
possible solutions and the institutions which will participate -
 the Energy Ministry, the Bulgarian Energy Holding, SEWRC and
the National Electricity Company, with the latter being a
possible participant in case negotiations are involved, Todorova
 explained.

Asked to comment the penalty decrees issued against electricity
distribution companies, Todorova said that such decrees have
been issued for half the written statements about established
violations and they are still being signed. "I have signed
another 60 on Wednesday," she said, adding that each violation
costs 20,000 leva. Those who were deemed insignificant have been
 ordered to be removed.

Commenting the upcoming energy market liberalization, Todorova
said that this is set in the programme's medium-term measures,
which are to be carried out by this year's end. This is
connected to serious legislative changes and the liberalization
can not happen if the existing model continues, she commented.