site.btaElectricity Market Liberalization for Households "Unlikely in the Next Decade", Says Parliamentary Energy Committee Chair

The likelihood of liberalizing the electricity market for household consumers within the next ten years is minimal, said Pavela Mitova, Chair of the Parliamentary Committee on Energy, told BTA on Tuesday.

She explained that there will be no set date for liberalization. Instead, Bulgaria will determine the timing based on reports from the Energy and Water Regulatory Commission (EWRC), which must demonstrate that the country is ready for such a transition. According to Mitova, several factors will influence the decision, one of the key ones being whether prices on the free market remain lower than those on the regulated market over an extended period.

On Monday, the Committee held an off-site meeting in Vratsa, where Mitova said she aimed to give all attendees the opportunity to co-sponsor the texts related to household market liberalization.

Mitova noted that Vazrazhdane did not sign the joint draft that will consolidate proposed amendments to the Energy Act between the first and second readings. Representatives of the MECh and Velichie parties were absent from the session.

The Committee on Energy is scheduled to hold another meeting on Wednesday, during which the amendments will be voted on at second reading, Mitova added. The proposal is expected to be presented in plenary session on Thursday as an extraordinary agenda item.

Earlier the same day in Varna, Plamen Mladenovski, Chair of the Energy and Water Regulatory Commission (EWRC), also stated that retail market liberalization (for household consumers) is being postponed indefinitely. According to him, this decision is based on the most recent proposals presented on Monday to the Energy Committee. Mladenovski clarified that only wholesale market liberalization is currently moving forward.