Minister of Energy: Competitiveness is a Major Priority of the Government

Legislative changes to enable the Energy and Water Regulatory Commission to exercise control over the liberalised electricity market are being prepared by the Ministry of Energy, Minister of Energy Temenuzhka Petkova told BNT on 9^th of January. According to her, the expected 30% to 60% rise in the price of electricity for industrial consumers as of February is due to the price at the liberalized market. Petkova pointed out that the state will do its best to support the competitiveness of the business, for which over BGN 280 million have been envisaged.

"At the liberlised market, like at any other market, prices are determined by demand and supply. For years, the price paid by the business was lower than the one for domestic consumers. The state cannot regulate it. The price of electricity is a type of commodity. What the state can do is to take action in case it receives alerts for cartel activitess and violation of competitiveness, and to conduct a check," she explained.

According to Minister Petkova, there is no shortage of electricity. To date, the National Electricity Company has offered 70,000 megawatts at the electricity power exchange and sold 19,000. There is no electricity shortages," she added.