site.btaConsumer Protection Commission Acts on Own Initiative about Electricity Billing Period

Consumer Protection Commission Acts on Own Initiative about Electricity Billing Period


Sofia, December 24 (BTA) - The Commission for Consumer
Protection (CCP) acted on its own initiative about the control
exercised over electricity distribution companies (EDC) when
keeping up with the monthly electricity billing deadlines. The
topic was brought up during the Council of Ministers' meeting,
the Commission said in a Wednesday press release.

CCP, however, explains that the period for billing electricity
consumption (not to exceed 31 days) is specifically stated in
the rules for measuring the amount of electricity consumed, the
control and observance of which is part of the control for
complying with the terms in the licenses issued by the State
Energy and Water Regulatory Commission (SEWRC). 

In case consumers submit complaints to the CCP and SEWRC about
non-compliance with the mandatory 31 days electricity billing
period, CCP could view the case as being an unfair commercial
practice.

As a result of the control exercised, CCP has brought a few
class action claims against the EDCs in relation to established
unlawful clauses in the general terms of the contracts for the
transmission and sale of electricity. The majority of them have
resulted in court rulings in favour of the Commission, i.e. the
consumers. 
 
Speaking earlier in the day on NovaTV, GERB MP and Chair of the
Parliamentary Energy Committee Delyan Dobrev warned that EDCs
will be fined if they allow billing periods to exceed 30 days.

On Tuesday, Prime Minister Boyko Borissov requested an urgent
check on electricity meters, so that people are not subjected to
 inflated electricity bills during the holidays. Dobrev recalled
 that there were problems with the electricity billing in 2012.
That winter many people received extremely large bills, which
caused massive protests and the previous GERB cabinet resigned
under the pressure.