The high electricity bills for January are not a mass problem. They are rather isolated cases. There is probably some mistake. The commendable thing is that the KEWR is taking action and will conduct an inspection. However, consumers have no options, they have to pay their bill, after which they can appeal it – with a complaint to the EPR and then a complaint to the KEWR. This was said by the former deputy minister of energy Yavor Kuyumdzhiev in the studio of “The Day Live” on NOVA NEWS.
Kuyumdjev pointed out that in the complex energy situation in which Europe finds itself, the Bulgarian state still takes care. And he explained: “The liberalized market is not like that at all. They created a third segment to the energy exchange, where only the ERPs and state energy companies can participate. The “Kozloduy” NPP is told – you will not sell for 123 euros, but 1/4 of the energy that you can produce, you will sell to the ERPs for 30 euros. This is no longer a market. According to this logic, a non-market price is maintained in this segment, which is two times lower. For example, in January the average price was nearly 149 euros per megawatt hour, and we pay half of that in our bills.” He added that the feeling of higher bills is sometimes subjective, and other times – proven.
Kuyumdzhiev also said that the price of electricity in January was high.
Nowhere else in the European Union is the price on the free market higher than the price for household customers – we are the only country that pays such a low electricity price at home, the former deputy minister said. He added that in Europe, businesses usually pay a lower price for electricity than citizens, “our state has saved us that”.
Kuyumdzhiev also explained that when the “Kozloduy” nuclear power plant tries to sell the remaining energy on the free market, the state sets a ceiling on revenues. “For example, the plant could sell for 122 euros. The state sets a ceiling on revenues of 60 euros. The other 60 euros that could be realized as income are subject to additional tax,” he explained.
The expert pointed out another detail: “At the end of the year, instead of the legal 80% dividend tax, they take 100%. Then the tax authorities come and say – you sold energy for 120 euros on the market, so pay taxes on 120 euros. And the power plant says – we didn't sell for 120, but for 60, because the state took the rest from us.”
Kuyumdjev also commented that the ERPs have a remote reporting system.
The expert was categorical that the average annual price of electricity in our country does not differ that much from that in other European countries.