Burgas heating company Toplofikatsia has finished its repairs and is ready to switch on the heating, chief executive Nikolay Batlev said. Forecasts point to a lasting cold spell in the first half of November.
Work on the building substations is also done. Some kindergartens and social care centres that asked for heating already have it.
The heating goes on for everyone when the average daily temperature stays below 12 degrees for three days in a row and a long cold spell is expected. The company is watching the forecasts for this reason. An apartment block can get heat sooner if two thirds of its residents ask for it.
Batlev said customers need to finish repairs in their flats and fill their internal heating systems so the heat can reach them.
Heating in Burgas costs €45.50 per megawatt hour before VAT. The company expects the price to stay the same for the whole heating season. "The energy regulator KEVR approved our heating prices on 1 July, so we do not plan an increase at this stage," Batlev told Bulgarian National Radio.
Bulgargaz wants the price of natural gas to rise by 34%. "That is quite a big rise in the price of natural gas," Batlev said.
KEVR has yet to decide what gas price to approve for next month. Toplofikatsia is waiting for its decision and hopes the rise will be as small as possible.