site.btaEC's Response to Energy Regulator's Complaints Will Determine Electricity Price Update - Regulator's Official

Pleven, Northern Bulgaria, July 25 (BTA) - If the prices of electricity have to be adjusted as of October 1, a major factor for the adjustment will be the decision of the European Commission on two complaints that the Bulgarian energy regulator has filed, said here Friday Elenko Bozhkov of the State Energy and Water Regulatory Commission (SEWRC).

One of the complaints is over unauthorized state aid to the Maritsa East 1 and Maritsa East 3 power plants in the form of long-term electricity purchase contracts and the other is for excessive state aid to green power plants.

Bozhkov said that Bulgaria needs institutional and public support to be able to prove to the EC that it has the problems it says it does. He also said these problems cause problems to businesses because the price of electricity is artificially upped and large industrial enterprises have their competitiveness undermined.
 
Bozhkov said the regulator is encouraged by the fact that similar complaints to the European Commission by Poland and Hungary have been decided in the plaintiff's favour.