The Energy and Water Regulatory Commission (EWRC) is taking a decisive step toward the full introduction of market prices for electricity for residential consumers, which will lead to higher electricity bills. At an open meeting, the regulator examined the costs and benefits of installing smart metering devices, as well as measures for optimizing household consumption.
The replacement of a total of 3,318,081 electricity meters in the country will take place over a five-year period - from 2027 to 2031 - and will cost exactly 219 million euros. The EWRC's plan provides for these funds to be directly incorporated into the price of electricity paid by end consumers. According to initial calculations, the introduction of the devices will increase the service cost for customers of "Electrodistribution Networks West" by about 1.54%, for "Electrodistribution South" by 0.66%, and for "Electrodistribution North" by 2.29%.
How real-time metering will affect working people
The new "smart" meters will measure consumption at 15-minute intervals and transmit the data remotely. This will allow for near real-time tracking of peak evening consumption, when prices on the power exchange are highest. As households transition to the free market, the bills of people who use electricity primarily in the morning and evening - i.e., the working population - will increase significantly.
Currently, prices for households are still determined by the EWRC, but at the insistence of the European Commission, the parliament may terminate the regulated market. The implementation of the devices increases the recognized costs for electricity distribution companies, which in practice means that the entire investment for replacing the devices will be covered by Bulgarian households. The average unit price of one smart electricity meter is estimated at 66 euros.
Who can save money from the new metering devices
The new reporting system every 15 minutes will allow citizens who spend most of the day at home to optimize their expenses. Pensioners and people working from home will be able to monitor the hours with the lowest exchange prices - usually around noon - and run stoves, washing machines, and air conditioners then. In contrast, all those working away from home will continue to consume primarily in the evening, and will pay significantly more for doing so.