Households that heat their homes with natural gas are expected to receive compensation due to the latest increase in the price of the fuel. The measure will target more than 150,000 families in Bulgaria, with approximately 10 million euros allocated for it.
Gas prices rose by nearly 33% in November, and a further increase is expected in December. This is raising household expenses at the beginning of the heating season.
“We are trying to save money and be more economical. Considering what our salaries are like, it is very difficult,” says Ivan Tanev. His family pays around 250 euros a month for the natural gas used to heat their three-room apartment.
Other consumers have already limited their use of gas. Sofia Belovska has stopped heating her home with gas and uses it only for hot water. Despite this, her monthly bill reaches 30 euros.
“I do not expect compensation; we have not received any so far,” Sofia Belovska says.How the assistance will be calculated
According to data presented by the Ministry of Energy, the funds will be provided by the Electricity System Security Fund and the Bulgarian Development Bank.
The compensation is expected to be provided directly through consumers’ bills. The mechanism will be based on the difference between the regulated natural gas price at which Bulgargaz supplies gas and the forecast price set by the Energy and Water Regulatory Commission for the respective quarter.
The state plans to cover half of this difference. Energy Minister Iva Petrova says that, when comparing prices for the previous month, the expected support would amount to around 8 euros per megawatt-hour.
The amount will not be fixed definitively, but will depend on movements in natural gas prices and on the difference between the regulated and forecast prices.
The assistance is intended for the heating season
The compensation is expected to be paid from November through March. The aim is to limit the impact of the price increase on household budgets during the period of highest consumption.
At present, the projected funding for the measure and the principle for calculating the assistance have been announced. The specific amount of compensation will depend on the price difference for the respective regulatory period.