site.btaHousehold Consumers Should Switch to Free Electricity Market Before Deadline

Household consumers should have switched gradually to the free electricity market, said Veselin Todorov, chairman and founder of the Solar Academy Bulgaria Association in a BTA interview in connection with the latest amendments to the Energy Act, which postponed by one year the liberalization of the electricity market for household consumers. According to him, it is unnecessary to wait until the deadline for household consumers to switch to the free market, because there is a danger that electricity bills will rise too much. 

According to Todorov, there are no measures that the government had to implement for this purpose. "Now it is too late," he added. Todorov pointed out that household consumers should have been encouraged to invest in renewable energy sources or to be subsidized so as not to feel a difference in price when joining the free electricity market. He believes that people should have the right to associate in civic energy communities so that they can use cheap electricity at a fixed price. 

"Although an act on civic energy communities was passed in October, we still do not have any bylaws. This puts an obstacle and there is a reluctance on the part of household consumers to enter the free market, "said Todorov. Asked whether if compensations for household consumers are envisaged, similar to those for business, it will be a working solution, Todorov said that it makes more sense to seek sustainability and durability of the energy system.  

"We must invest in the technology that for the next 10 years will guarantee us the same value of electricity and sustainability," he said. According to him subsidies are a short-lived and ineffective measure. 

The expert said the entire energy transformation in Bulgaria is being carried out piecemeal given the dynamic political situation.