State Will Help Businesses Cover Higher Electricity Costs; Compensation Will Also Be Available to Household Consumers Using Natural Gas

Businesses will receive monthly compensation to help cover high electricity prices, following an agreement between the government, employers and trade unions.

Compensation will also be available to household consumers using natural gas. Electricity and district heating prices for households will remain unchanged until 1 July 2027.

A total of €2 billion from the Electricity System Security Fund and the Bulgarian Development Bank will be allocated to compensation payments by the end of June. The Fund will make monthly payments when electricity prices exceed €180 per megawatt-hour. The Bulgarian Development Bank will provide a further €15 per megawatt-hour as an advance payment towards the 10-month compensation scheme, which covers electricity prices above €122.71 per megawatt-hour.

Aleksandar Pulev, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Economy, Investment and Industry:

“Prices are unprecedented, and the government's response is unprecedented. I want to state unequivocally that the state stands firmly behind businesses and the public. For households, electricity and district heating prices will not increase during the heating season.

As for Bulgarian companies, I genuinely believe that Bulgarian businesses are resilient. I have great confidence in the competitiveness of the Bulgarian economy. But we are living through difficult times, and we have a duty to provide further support to energy-intensive industries, which are the backbone of the country's industrial sector and economy.”