ELECTRICITY PRICES WILL INCREASE BY 3-4% FROM JULY 2013

Electricity prices will increase by 3-4% from July 1, 2013, due to the renewable energy surcharge, chair of Bulgaria's State Commission for Energy and Water Regulation (DKEVR) Angel Semerdzhiev said, cited by Sofia News Agency.

Semerdzhiev explained Tuesday, that the grid access fee for renewable electricity producers introduced on November 14 would become permanent and would be reduced.

He noted, however, that this would not compensate for the increased green energy surcharge and electricity prices for end consumers would increase.

Renewable electricity producers in Bulgaria have opposed the grid access fee as discriminatory, staging several protests against its introduction.

They say that the new fee contradicts Bulgaria's Energy Act and a number of EU Directives

On July 2012, electricity prices went up by 13%.

The DKEVR Chair attributed the power price hike solely to the renewable energy surcharge and warned that power rates would increase further in 2013.

Semerdzhiev also said that power rates in 2013 would not be affected if market prices of harmful emissions stayed the same.