Due to high January electricity bills, nearly 300 complaints have been received by the electricity distribution company responsible for Southern Bulgaria.
Some subscribers indicate that the invoices received are double compared to the previous month. EVN explained the difference with lower temperatures and the fact that the reporting period includes the days around Christmas and New Year, when families spend more time at home.
Angel Dimitrov lives in a three-room renovated apartment in the "Trakia" district of Plovdiv. He filed a complaint with EVN because he believes there is no difference in consumption, but he receives an almost double bill for the month of January.
Angel Dimitrov: "In leva 235 leva. Compared to the previous month, almost 100 leva. up. The previous month was 155 leva."
Even more striking was the difference in his father's bill.
Angel Dimitrov: "December 88 leva., now he has 240 leva for this month. A man alone."
EVN stated that the topic of higher January bills becomes relevant every year at this time and each time the explanation for why it happens is the same.
Petar Kostadinov, spokesperson for EVN-Bulgaria: "This is the first month of the year with lower temperatures, this is the first month after the Christmas and New Year holidays. This year, let's not forget that at the end of December the holidays were approximately 14 days in total for people to take."
If in doubt, any consumer can file a complaint. Before doing so, however, the company recommends that the subscriber compare their bill not with December, but with January 2025.
Petar Kostadinov, spokesperson for EVN-Bulgaria: "The only factor that influences the higher invoices compared to December is the really cold weather and higher consumption."
So far, the complaints received from all over Southern Bulgaria are about 300. All of them will be checked, the company indicated.