Thousands of residents of Veliko Tarnovo and Gornooryahovo regions are facing daily unplanned power outages and electric shocks this summer. Dozens of settlements have been affected, and people are complaining about damaged electrical appliances, business losses and a lack of adequate response from the electricity distribution company.
The residents have already filed collective complaints with the institutions, but for them the problem remains unresolved, bTV writes.
Among the victims is Rosen Ganev, who recently chose the tranquility of the village of Polikraishte over city life. Since his work is related to working from home, frequent power outages seriously hinder his daily life.
„My work depends on a laptop, reliable internet and stable power supply. The outages directly affect the deadlines and meetings I hold. During daylight hours alone, they sometimes occur up to 30 times“, he says.
In addition to being inconvenient, the outages also lead to serious material damage. Villagers claim that the electric shocks have damaged household appliances, but they often fail to receive compensation.
“My TV burned out, but I can't prove why this happened“, shares Milko Gardev.
Tanya Lesichkova also says that after another power outage, her air conditioner burned out. She has filed a complaint, but has not yet received a decision on the case.
“We want the electricity distribution company not only to collect fees, but to take responsibility and compensate people for the problems we are experiencing“, residents of the affected settlements say.
The frequent breakdowns also create difficulties for people with medical needs. Tatyana Pangova takes care of her mother, who is on an electrically operated medical bed.
“When the power goes out, I can't adjust her bed. If I have to lift her up or down and she gets sick, it becomes a huge problem“, she explains.
Local businesses are also affected. In a confectionery shop in the area, power outages lead to the throwing away of products and financial losses.
“In one electric shock, the entire production can be destroyed. In addition, we cannot plan our work normally, and the interruptions also disrupt our personal plans“, says employee Dimitrana Popgeorgieva.
The manager of the workshop Stella Velikova adds that the losses are significant.
“In just one power outage, we may have to throw away about 20 meters of cake batter, which is approximately 5 kilograms of production. We suffer financial losses, we cannot fulfill orders on time and sometimes we suffer sanctions“, she says.
Due to the ongoing problem, the mayors of 12 villages in the Gorna Oryahovitsa municipality have joined forces and prepared a collective complaint to the electricity distribution company, the Ministry of Energy and the Energy and Water Regulatory Commission.
The mayor of Polikraishte Tsvetomila Kyoseva said that the situation has become intolerable.
“Businesses suffer losses, people suffer losses. That is why we insist that the institutions take measures“, she points out.
The electricity distribution company told bTV that the causes of the disruptions are related to adverse weather conditions and external factors, including contact of birds with power lines. The company says special protective devices have been installed near a poultry farm to limit such damage.
However, residents are demanding a faster response, more reliable power supply and real compensation for the damage suffered.