Kozloduy NPP to Propose Lower Electricity Price for Households

Matey Todorov

BTA Photo

Sofia,

16.05.2024 14:38

(BTA)

The Kozloduy nuclear power plant will withdraw the application submitted to the Energy and Water Regulatory Commission (EWRC) and will submit a new one with optimized parameters of the electricity price for household consumers, caretaker Energy Minister Vladimir Malinov said at a briefing in his ministry Thursday.

On Wednesday evening, he held meetings with the management of Kozloduy NPP and Bulgarian Energy Holding EAD to discuss the electricity price for household consumers. The management of Kozloduy NPP has informed the EWRC that based on additional analysis carried out by them within the next week, most likely on Monday, they will withdraw their application and submit a new one with optimized parameters for the electricity produced by the nuclear power plant, which will lead to a reduction in the price for household consumers, Malinov said, adding that the optimized costs will in no way jeopardize the safe and secure operation of units 5 and 6 of the nuclear power plant.

Malinov also met with Prime Minister Dimitar Glavchev and Deputy Prime Minister and Finance Minister Lyudmila Petkova to talk about a possible compensation from the government for the deficit accumulated in the previous period in the fund "Security of the electricity system", but that will happen as soon as possible, according to the Energy Minister.

The deficit already exceeds BGN 432 million, and it has accumulated since the beginning of the regulatory period, which started on July 1 of 2023. The forecast of the fund's management is that this deficit will reach over BGN 530 million by the end of the regulatory period, Malinov said. He pointed out that before the EWRC sets the regulated price for households, the government is expected to take appropriate measures to compensate for this deficit without affecting the price for household electricity consumers.

/DS/