site.btaContinue the Change: Government Quietly Preparing 5%–6% Electricity Price Hike Despite Assurances to Contrary

The ruling coalition is preparing to raise electricity prices despite assurances that there will be no changes for consumers, according to a statement from “Continue the Change” (CC) sent to the media.

"For several weeks now, we've been hearing from the ruling coalition that the liberalization of the electricity market for household consumers is being postponed. They claim that only the pricing methodology is changing, and nothing is actually changing for the people. However, from the proposal released Saturday by the Energy and Water Regulatory Commission (EWRC), we see that the price of electricity for households is increasing by 5–6%," CC writes.

"If we look back a year, when the liberalization was officially postponed, we'll notice that despite the delay, the price still went up in July 2024 (by 3–4%) and again from January 1, 2025 (by 9%). Thus, the total increase under [prime minister Dimitar] Glavchev’s caretaker government has reached nearly 20%," the party notes.

CC points out that starting July 1, the entire model for determining household electricity prices is changing, yet everything has once again been left for the last minute. Following amendments to the Energy Act and the Rules for Trading Electricity, we are now witnessing yet another trial-and-error experiment at the expense of household consumers and state-owned energy companies, the statement says.

The party also expresses concern about energy poverty, which remains merely a definition in the Energy Act, with no clarity about the subsequent steps to be taken.

NEK (the National Electric Company) will no longer serve as the public supplier, and the electricity distribution companies will purchase household electricity on the free market. The price difference (BGN 1.3 billion) will be compensated by the State through the Electricity System Security Fund—if the funds are available, CC notes.

EWRC published earlier its proposed changes to electricity and heating prices, which will take effect from July 1, 2025, according to the regulator. For end household consumers, an average weighted increase of 4.62% in electricity prices is expected. In May, the National Assembly amended the Energy Act to stipulate that households will remain on the regulated electricity market indefinitely.