site.btaEnergy Regulator Discusses 4.58% Average Rise in Heating, Hot Water Prices from July 1

The Energy and Water Regulatory Commission (EWRC) held an open meeting on Tuesday to discuss the new heat energy prices for the period from July 1, 2026 to June 30, 2027. The Commission proposed a weighted average increase of 4.58%, while in their price applications of March 31 the companies had requested an average rise of 30.65%.

EWRC Chair Plamen Mladenovski said that prices should be affordable for citizens.

Boyan Paunov, Director of the Electricity and Heat Energy Directorate at EWRC, said that almost all companies are increasing their technological costs or keeping them at the same level, and these are costs that directly enter the price of heat energy. “We will carefully examine all objections,” he said.

For Toplofikatsia Sofia EAD, the current price is proposed to increase by 5.50%, compared with a 29% increase requested by the company. Executive Director Petar Petrov said during the discussion that wage costs and contributions in EWRC’s report are lower than those currently approved. It should be taken into account that finding staff in the heat energy sector is difficult and should be motivated by better conditions that the company must provide, he said. “We have commitments to our employees and would ask that the price be reconsidered in this part,” Petrov added.

EWRC member Tasko Ermenkov said that the company wants to raise wages, but this should not be done at the expense of everyone else. “This is not the way, and perhaps we should have heard from Toplofikatsia Sofia how it will reduce its losses and improve its efficiency,” he said.

For EVN Bulgaria Toplofikatsia EAD, EWRC proposes a 3.70% increase, compared with a 12.69% increase requested by the company. Shteryo Radev, a representative of the company, noted that technological costs had been significantly reduced in the regulator’s report. “We understand that we must strive to reduce losses and we are investing gradually, and it is important that the real condition of the network and a more objective level of costs be recognized,” he said.

For the individual district heating companies, the changes proposed by EWRC from July 1 this year are as follows: for Toplofikatsia Pleven EAD, a 5.54% increase in the current price, compared with an 11.27% increase requested by the company; for Toplofikatsia Burgas EAD, a 3.66% increase, compared with a 17.28% increase requested by the company.

For Toplofikatsia Vratsa EAD, EWRC proposes a 3.59% increase, compared with a 49.42% increase requested by the company; for Toplofikatsia VT AD, a 4.99% increase in the current price, compared with 26.02% requested by the company; for Toplofikatsia Razgrad EAD, a 4.98% increase in the current price, compared with 15.35% requested by the company; and for Yuliko-Eurotrade EOOD, a 3.39% increase in the current price, compared with 64.61% requested by the company.

For Toplofikatsia Ruse AD, EWRC proposes a 5% increase in the current price, compared with a 69.05% increase requested by the company; for Toplofikatsia Pernik EAD, a 4.23% increase in the current price, compared with 29.68% requested by the company; for Toplofikatsia Sliven EAD, a 5.18% increase in the current price, compared with 33.37% requested by the company; and for Veolia Energy Varna EAD, a 5.19% increase in the current price, compared with 10.05% requested by the company.

As the Commission held its meeting, citizens protested outside the EWRC building against the planned increases in electricity, heating and hot water prices.