site.btaRegulator Proposes Nearly 10% Hikeon Electricity

ESD 19:19:30 19-09-2014
VE1919ES.120
120 ECONOMY - ELECTRICITY - PRICES - HIKE

Regulator Proposes
Nearly 10% Hike
on Electricity


Sofia, September 19 (BTA) - The State Energy and Water
Regulatory Commission (SEWRC) proposes that the prices at which
Bulgaria's three electricity distributors sell electricity to
households should be increased by nearly 10 per cent as of
October 1. The proposal has been drafted by a working group and
published on the regulator's website.

It will be considered at a public discussion on September 25.

For CEZ, which distributes electricity to Western Bulgaria,
including the capital Sofia, the proposed hike is 9.97 per cent
for daytime use and 9.84 per cent for nighttime use. For the
clients of EVN in South-Central and Southeastern Bulgaria, the
respective figures are 9.70 per cent and 9.35 per cent, and for
Energo-Pro in North-Central and Northeastern Bulgaria, 9.80 per
cent and 9.51 per cent.

This puts the average increase of electricity prices for
household users at 9.79 per cent.

SEWRC proposes an 8.98 per cent rise of a charge called
"obligations to the public," which includes costs of green
electricity, electricity purchased under long-term agreements
and electricity co-generated by heating plants. This will also
cause the free-market prices of medium and high voltage
electricity for non-household users to go up by 2.2 per cent and
1.6 per cent, respectively.

Another proposal is that the price at which the National
Electricity Company (NEK) sells electricity to end-users should
rise by 9.83 per cent.

The planned hikes will add an estimated 200 million leva to
NEK's revenues.

The average charge for grid access and distribution is to be
increased by 8.9 per cent, which will allow the electricity
distributors to maintain the normal functioning of the power
grid. LN/VE

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