Why are the January bills so high? Let's find out.

January is over, but for many Bulgarians, the real cold came with the letters from the energy company. Social networks were filled with photos of shocking bills - double compared to the previous month, and sometimes more. People ask: "How is it possible that we haven't changed our habits, and we are paying so much more?"

Energy companies explain that there are no "hidden increases" in the price of electricity for households since the beginning of the year, and the main reason is more real consumption and a specific reporting period around the holidays. For many households, however, this sounds like little consolation when they suddenly have to set aside hundreds of more leva from the already tense winter budget.

What changed in the bills in January

According to the energy companies, the average electricity consumption in many areas during the reporting period, including December and the beginning of January, has jumped by about 15-30% compared to the previous month. In Western Bulgaria, nearly 30% higher consumption is reported, and in the Northeast - about 15-20% larger bills compared to a year earlier.

Two more important factors are added to this:

• part of the invoices cover a longer reporting period - for example, 31 days instead of 28-29, which automatically leads to a larger amount of energy reported;
• the bills issued in January also include the Christmas and New Year holidays, when many people were at home longer, with heating, lighting and cooking on.

In the peak days of the cold wave, the total electricity consumption in the country reached levels unseen for years - which shows how strongly the system is loaded with mass electric heating.

Is there a sharp jump in the price of electricity?

Here the picture is calmer, but also more complicated. The wholesale electricity market is liberalized, but the price for household consumers remains regulated and fixed for a one-year period, determined by the State Energy and Water Regulatory Commission (SEWRC). The increases in recent months are within a few percent and do not explain in themselves the drastic differences in the bills.

At the same time, suppliers are obliged to buy electricity from the stock exchange at market prices and sell it to households at a fixed tariff. When the stock exchange price exceeds a certain basic value, the state compensates for part of the difference through special mechanisms. This means that without these compensations, the bills would be even higher - but it does not negate the fact that with more kilowatt-hours spent, the final amount increases sharply.

In short: the price of electricity for households has not "jumped" suddenly by 30-40%. Consumption has mainly increased - due to cold weather, more days at home and sometimes due to inefficient electricity consumption habits.

Why the bills "take off": real reasons behind the figures

Behind every high bill there is a combination of factors. The most frequent are:

• Electric heating - air conditioner, convector, radiators, heaters. During prolonged cold days, the expense can double, especially in homes without good insulation.
• Poor insulation and old windows - when the house loses heat, the appliances work almost continuously. A drop of 1°C in the outside temperature can noticeably increase the need for energy for heating.
• More time at home - holidays, remote work, sick leave. More cooking, lighting and appliance work automatically increase the bill.
• Old and inefficient equipment - old air conditioners, water heaters and electrical appliances consume many times more than new models with a high energy class.
• Habits - constantly switched on appliances, high set temperature, unnecessary lighting, unsealed windows and doors.

Add to this the psychological effect: when the bill arrives after a busy holiday month, the feeling of "shock" is even stronger, even if the mathematics behind the figures is relatively explainable.

What we can do as consumers

The first step is verification, not panic. If the bill looks unusually high:

• compare the kWh in the invoice with previous months and with the previous year - if consumption has risen sharply for no apparent reason, it makes sense to seek verification;
• follow the reporting period - a longer period automatically means more days and more consumption;
• if you suspect an error in the reporting, you can file a signal to the provider and, if necessary, a complaint to the SEWRC.

In parallel with this, experts recommend several practical steps for the coming winter months:

• reducing the temperature in the home even by 1-2°C, especially at night and in the absence;
• sealing windows and doors, using curtains and blinds to retain heat;
• switching off appliances from the socket when not in use (standby mode also consumes energy);
• gradually replacing the most energy-intensive appliances with more economical models.

Longer-term solutions are also needed

January electricity bills are a symptom not only of cold weather and holidays, but also of deeper problems - low energy efficiency of buildings, dependence on electric heating and limited opportunities for households to invest in more modern solutions.

The state compensates part of the expenses through various mechanisms, but in the long run, the key is the renovation of the housing stock, better programs for energy efficiency and more transparent communication from the energy companies. Otherwise, every winter will start with the same photos of bills on social networks and with the same question: "How long will it be like this?"