The three power distributors operating in Bulgaria have requested from the
country's energy regulator to approve an increase in electricity prices as of
July 1, local media reported.
The local power distribution unit of
Austria's EVN seeks an increase in the daytime electricity tariff by 8.0% while
the units of Czech companies CEZ and Energo-Pro applied for an increase of 13%
-14%, the Bulgarian News Agency, BTA, reported on Wednesday, quoting the energy
regulator's head Boyan Boev.
The three companies also requested an
increase in the night-time tariff to double the daytime rates, Boev
said.
CEZ’s current daytime electricity tariff is set at 0.14949 levs
($0.1053/0.0764 euro) per kilowatt-hours (kWh) while the customers of EVN
Bulgaria and Energo-Pro pay daytime price of 0.15327 levs 0.15958 levs per kWh,
respectively.
Nigh-time rates per kWh are set at 0.08508 levs for CEZ,
0.08676 levs for EVN Bulgaria and 0.08862 levs for Energo-Pro.
The State
Energy and Water Regulatory Commission (SEWRC) has to come up with a decision on
the power distributors' proposed tariff by June.
In March SEWRC said it
had been notified by state-owned power utility NEK that the outstanding payments
of the local power distribution units of the three companies to NEK exceed 347.6
million levs in total, and that it would launch a procedure to revoke their
licences.
The power distributors have said they owe the debt-ridden NEK
nothing, claiming that it had failed to pay them the money the were due in
compensation for being obliged to buy electricity generated by wind and solar
power installations.