site.btaHousehold Consumers to Remain Indefinitely on Regulated Electricity Market, Says Energy Minister Stankov

Household electricity consumers will remain on the regulated market for an indefinite period, Energy Minister Zhecho Stankov announced at a briefing at the Council of Ministers on Wednesday.

The decision taken by the Council of Ministers today secures revenue for the Security of the Electricity System Fund, which in turn ensures the sustainable operation of the energy sector and keeps household users on the regulated market, Stankov clarified.

He emphasized that the government’s decision, along with upcoming amendments to the Energy Act—expected to be published on Friday—will guarantee that household users continue to benefit from state-regulated electricity prices.

The minister also confirmed that daytime and nighttime tariffs will be maintained, which play an essential role in protecting the most vulnerable consumers.

With the changes, the Energy and Water Regulatory Commission (EWRC) now has the legal basis to start its procedure for setting electricity prices for households. This pricing will be subject to public consultation, ensuring transparency for citizens and the media about how these prices are calculated.

Stankov also stated that the fund has secured sufficient resources—up to BGN 1 billion —for compensating household consumers. “We fully guarantee that the Security of the Electricity System Fund has no impact on the state budget,” he said.

“Household consumers should feel at ease. We’ve pulled the handbrake on all inflationary processes. We’ve protected them from the high prices of the free electricity market,” Stankov commented.

He also confirmed that on Monday, Bulgaria—through the National Electric Company (NEK)—submitted documents to the European Commission for the construction of four new pumped-storage hydroelectric power plants (PSHPPs) across the country. One of the projects has a capacity of 800 megawatts, equal to that of the existing Chaira PSHPP.

Such projects, he said, will help ensure sustainably low electricity prices in the long term.

When asked about the accumulated debt of Bulgargaz to the Turkish company Botas, Stankov responded: “The current amount is 300 million. Negotiations are ongoing at the technical level—we’ll see what final conclusion is reached and what approach will be taken.”