I am warning you: if you try to overstate consumption in customers’ bills again, the CPC will this time respond with the full scope of its powers. I want to warn the electricity distribution companies not to try to abuse their customers by overstating consumption. The mystery of duplicate bills for the same electrical appliances in the same households, which was investigated by the electricity distribution companies that created it, was not investigated at the time by either the CPC or the EWRC, but this mystery will not happen a second time. We believe that 35 euro cents for every hour during which you are without electricity in winter (after the 48-hour period) is a mockery of consumers; it is “symbolic and laughable,” and the CPC will insist that the electricity distribution companies’ liability be expressed through substantial compensation.
This was said at Wednesday’s EWRC meeting by Maya Manolova, chairwoman of the Commission for Consumer Protection (CPC), during the discussion of the general terms in the contracts of the electricity distribution companies. According to her, if the CPC’s proposals are not taken into account, the Commission will not approve the general terms of their contracts.
I believe it would be fair for consumers to be given a longer period from December to April to pay their bills or, if they fail to do so, for disconnection of the electricity supply not to be initiated. Given the increase in household bills and the cost of living for Bulgarians, I think such a step would also be met with understanding by the Energy Regulator, which balances the interests of the electricity distribution companies and consumers, she said.
Maya Manolova also added that, for poor service quality, such as voltage lower than the statutory level, power surges, or frequent power cuts in a given populated area, the electricity distribution company must bear responsibility, and the CPC will propose penalties for poor service quality, but at a higher amount than the current 35 euro cents per hour without electricity. We will also insist on a longer period than the current seven days during which those affected have the right to submit a complaint to the electricity distribution company seeking compensation for poor service, Manolova added, citing the period for submitting a complaint to “Toplofikatsiya,” which is longer—30 days.
According to Manolova, the CPC has identified unfair clauses in the general terms of ERPs—West and ERP—South, and the Commission insists that they be removed. She listed provisions such as requiring consumers to have updated their personal data in order to receive compensation for the period during which they were left without electricity, the requirement that the electricity distribution company be notified by its customer within 30 days of any change in personal data, and others that the CPC defines as unfair clauses.