Prices of electricity up by 4.3% and of heating by 0.12% from July 1

The Energy and Water Regulatory Commission (EWRC) set new prices for heating, hot water and electricity from 1 July. Electricity price for households will rise by 4.3% on average. The biggest increase is for customers in North-Eastern Bulgaria - 5.43%. In Western Bulgaria, prices will increase by 4.24% on average and in Southern Bulgaria by 3.63%.

"These prices include the cost of network services. The regulator's initial estimates envisaged an increase of 3.63%, but this was revised following an order issued by the caretaker energy minister, which changed the quotas for the regulated market for state-owned electricity producers. 2,200,000 MWh of electricity produced by Maritsa East 2 thermal power plant were included in the energy mix for household consumers in order to prevent the company from falling into financial difficulties," EWRC explained.

The ratio between the day and night tariff will be maintained, with the day tariff remaining twice as high. Thus, the lower tariff will apply between 10 pm and 6 am in winter and from 11 pm to 7 am in summer.

In a decision today, the utilities regulator also decided to increase heating prices by between 0.05 and 0.48%.

With the approved prices, the price of heating and hot water for customers of Sofia district Heaing will go up by 0.05%, for "EVN Bulgaria district heating" the increase will be 0.22%, for "Pleven district heating" the price will go up by 0.06%, for "Bourgas" district heating by 0, 28%, for "Veolia Energy Varna" by 0,35%, for "District heating VT" by 0,11%, for "Rousse district heating" - by 0,09%, for "Sliven district heating" - by 0,26%, for "Gabrovo district heating" - by 0,36%, for "Razgrad district heating" - by 0,48%.

The prices of heating for the customers of "Pernik district heating" will be decreased by 0.66%, as well as for the customers of "Vratsa district heating" - by 0.06%.

The main reason for the smaller increase in the heating price is the cheaper price of natural gas over the past six months, as well as several more serious increases in heating prices last year.