site.btaOmbudsman Alerts EWRC Chair, Outgoing Energy Minister over Heating Outages in Sofia

Ombudsman Velislava Delcheva has filed a complaint with Energy and Water Regulatory Commission Chair Plamen Mladenovski and outgoing Energy Minister Zhecho Stankov due to dozens of reports from citizens about serious and repeated interruptions of the heat supply in Sofia, the press centre of the Ombudsman said on Friday. The Ombudsman also called for an investigation into the reasons that led to the occurrence of widespread accidents in the heat transmission network of Toplofikacia Sofia EAD in December 2025 and January 2026.

Thousands of households in the borough of Lyulin were left without heating and hot water on January 15, with the announced deadline for restoration of services being on January 16, the press centre noted. Delcheva drew attention to the fact that these same households were affected by a similar emergency shutdown in the period January 6-8. She stressed that she had been receiving reports of frequent unplanned interruptions of the heat supply from residents of Dianabad borough and Mladost 3 borough as well. There was also information about a leak from the heat transmission network of Toplofikacia Sofia EAD, which was flooding the basements of block 21 in the Iztok borough, the Ombudsman stressed.

Delcheva noted that consumers are reporting prolonged incidents as well, such as a leak that occurred in November 2025, which flooded the basement of a residential building in Sofia. "After an immediate report was filed to Toplofikacia Sofia EAD, the technician visited the address and stopped the heat supply. Since then, the failure has not been repaired for more than two months, and the residents of the building are deprived of heating and hot water," she pointed out.

"According to the Energy Act and the licensing conditions, Toplofikacia Sofia EAD is obliged to ensure the security of supply, continuity and quality of heat energy. Given the provisions of the General Terms and Conditions for the Sale of Heat for Domestic Use by Toplofikacia Sofia EAD to Customers in Sofia, the company should pay a penalty to the affected customers if, due to its own fault, it fails to repair damage to the heat transmission network and subscriber stations within 48 hours," Delcheva stated.

In 2025, the Ombudsman received nearly 700 reports against district heating companies, while reports related to water and sanitation services were over 570. The press centre noted that water and heating are among the most serious problems of citizens across Bulgaria.