Parliament decided: Compensation for businesses continues, but under modified conditions

The deputies decided to reduce the compensation for electricity for businesses from BGN 250 to BGN 200 per MWh next year. The lower level refers to final non-domestic customers (large companies) connected to a high-voltage network and in case they have made investments in energy efficiency and renewable energy sources. The difference to the market price will be covered by the surplus profits of all state and private electricity producing companies. As the decision itself states, the compensation for electricity for businesses will be in the amount of 100 percent of the difference between the real average monthly exchange price of the "day-ahead" segment of "BNEB" EAD for the relevant month and the base price of BGN 200 per MWh. The compensation will be valid until the end of 2023.

The funds for the payment of the compensations under the program for their provision will be collected in the Electricity System Security Fund (FSES), and the contributions will be determined by the Council of Ministers within 10 days of implementation and under the conditions of the European emergency intervention regulation to deal with high energy prices. The proposal for a period of 10 days was made by BSP leader Cornelia Ninova, who was motivated by the possibility of a delay by the Council of Ministers, which would put pressure on state-owned companies, while private ones would remain unaffected.

According to the initiator of the decision, Delyan Dobrev from GERB, "All electricity producers will contribute (funds) to the fund without dividing them into state and private. We entrust the Council of Ministers to implement the regulation in the way they see fit, and we guarantee that throughout 2023, businesses will receive compensation, and even higher than the compensations that exist at the moment."

The proposal of Vladislav Panev from "Democratic Bulgaria" that end non-domestic high voltage users be compensated for the difference between the base price of BGN 200 per MWh and the average market price for base load of the "day ahead" segment of the "Bulgarian Independent Energy Exchange" received support from the majority. , multiplied by a factor of 0.8 for the quantities on which a "duty to society" price is due. The coefficient is expected to be increased by 0.1 for proven investments in energy efficiency in the last three years, certificate of energy savings, energy and technical survey and by 0.1 for investments in renewable energy sources, construction of renewable energy installations. A penalty is also foreseen - a return of five times the compensation received if these investments are not made.