Discontent over urgent repairs to over 10 kilometers of the heating network in the capital's "Druzhba 2" district. Residents of the district will be left without hot water and heating until December 30. The reason - serious accidents and depreciated infrastructure over 35 years old.
Despite assurances from "Toplofikatsiya Sofia" that the heat supply will not be stopped during the entire repair period, residents of the district are gathering to express their dissatisfaction at a protest this morning. The company announced that kindergartens will be repaired as a priority.
„Both the citizens and we were notified two days ago. It has not been commented on at all with the administration. Yesterday I went to a meeting with the director of “Toplofikatsiya Sofia”. He replied that the repair will not be for the entire period of 90 days and the water supply will be stopped in stages. They will show a schedule on September 29 and the residents will be notified. They didn't say anything about compensation, because this is a planned repair, not an emergency one," explained the district mayor Petko Kraev.
The residents of the neighborhood shared that they are worried about not having received a schedule yet, they are worried about the kindergartens and schools and called on all neighbors to file complaints with the Sofia Municipality and the Ombudsman.
► The Ombudsman's response
The Ombudsman Velislava Delcheva referred the Energy Committee to the National Assembly after receiving over 200 complaints in just one day due to the decision of “Toplofikatsiya Sofia“ to carry out a 90-day repair of the heat transmission network in the “Druzhba – 2” residential area. The work is planned from October 2 to December 30, 2025 and will affect 120 residential buildings.
Delcheva insists that the commission listen to the executive director of “Toplofikatsiya Sofia“ EAD, the chairman of the EWRC and the Minister of Energy. The reason is the unprecedentedly long repair period at the beginning of the heating season and the question of whether the company is prepared for winter.
In his letter, the Ombudsman reminds that according to the Energy Act, “Toplofikatsiya Sofia“ is obliged to guarantee the security, continuity and quality of supply. The Minister of Energy is responsible for monitoring the technical condition of the network, and the KEVR monitors compliance with the licensing conditions and security of supplies.
The Ombudsman emphasizes that as early as the beginning of 2025, after explicit letters from the Public Defender's Office, “Toplofikatsiya Sofia“ declared its readiness for repairs after the end of the 2024-2025 heating season. This has not been done, which now puts thousands of households at risk of being left without heating and hot water. Among them are the elderly, families with small children and low-income households. Delcheva also raises the question of whether the electricity transmission network in the area can withstand increased load.
The Ombudsman also draws attention to the charging of estimated bills for customers who will not receive heat during the repairs. She demands a decision to stop these charges.
In a separate letter to the executive director of “Toplofikatsiya Sofia“ Velislava Delcheva demands a reduction in the repair period, a cessation of the charging of estimated bills to the affected customers and compensation for the victims in the residential area “Druzhba – 2“.
“Citizens are rightly demanding a review of the organization and timing of the repair activities, which affect thousands of households“, the Ombudsman emphasizes.