The Energy and Water Regulatory Commission (EWRC) made a decision that will affect the financial situation of citizens. The regulator announced measures to provide compensation, designed to alleviate part of the electricity costs for household customers. The announcement was disseminated by the Commission itself, emphasizing the importance of these actions for ensuring the energy security of the population.
This decision is part of the ongoing process of determining compensation for the month of September of the upcoming year. These compensations are an essential part of the new mechanism for supporting households, which is incorporated in the latest amendments to the Energy Act (EA). The regulator is obliged to determine the amount of these compensations monthly, noting the key role of the EWRC in ensuring the stability of the energy market.
From July 1 of the future year, the wholesale electricity market will be liberalized, which will lead to changes in pricing. As a result, the price for household consumers will be fixed by the regulator for a period of one year. According to the EA, supply companies will be obliged to purchase the necessary electricity from the stock market at market prices, but to sell it to household customers at a predetermined fixed price.
During the critical month of September, the electricity purchased by the companies from the stock exchange was at a higher price than the base price determined by the EWRC. The base price was fixed at 140.03 leva per megawatt-hour (MWh). In these cases, each of the end suppliers will receive compensation from the "Security of the electricity system" Fund. This compensation has been accounted for in advance in the consumers' invoices, ensuring transparency of the process.
The compensation covers the difference between the weighted average price of the electricity purchased from the stock exchange and the base value of electricity for 1 megawatt-hour determined by the EWRC. When calculating the specific amount of compensation, the EWRC applies legally established mechanisms for correction. This aims to prevent unscrupulous practices on the part of the end suppliers, the Commission emphasizes.
The introduced mechanism aims to guarantee stability and predictability of the costs for household end customers, regardless of fluctuations in stock market prices. In practice, this means that citizens will be protected from sharp changes in electricity prices, which will contribute to the financial stability of households.
For the month of September, the compensations designed to cover part of the electricity costs of household end customers are determined as follows. For household end customers of "Electrohold Sales" EAD, the compensation is in the amount of 49.12 leva per megawatt-hour excluding VAT. Customers of "EVN Bulgaria Electrosnabdyavane" EAD will receive compensation of 49.55 leva per megawatt-hour excluding VAT. The same amount, 49.55 leva per megawatt-hour excluding VAT, is provided for household customers of "ENERGO-PRO Sales" AD. The last figure is 49.39 leva per megawatt-hour excluding VAT for household end customers of "ESP Zlatni Pyasatsi" OOD.
In the context of these changes, BTA recalls previous decisions. For the period of August 1 - 31, the EWRC determined compensation that reflects the dynamics of the market. These compensations were as follows: 49.37 BGN/megawatt-hour (excluding VAT) for household customers of "Electrohold Sales" EAD; 49.55 BGN per megawatt-hour (excluding VAT) for household customers of "EVN Bulgaria Electrosnabdyavane" EAD; 49.55 BGN per megawatt-hour (excluding VAT) for household customers of "ENERGO-PRO Sales" AD; 4.74 BGN per megawatt-hour (excluding VAT) for household customers of "ESP Zlatni pyasatsi" OOD.