Bulgarian Associations of Employers Seek Power Price Freeze by end-2015

Bulgaria's four major associations of employers have called for a power price freeze by end-2015.

Under the proposal of the State Commission for Energy and Water Regulation (KEVR), industrial consumers of energy face an increase by 13-20% in electricity prices from July 1. The measure has been met with vocal opposition by the Bulgarian Industrial Association (BIA), the Bulgarian Chamber of Commerce and Industry (BCCI), the Bulgarian Industrial Capital Association (BICA), the Bulgarian Federation of Industrial Energy Consumers (BFIEC), and the Confederation of Employers and Industrialists in Bulgaria (BFIEC).

Bozhidar Danev from the Bulgarian Industrial Association (BIA) explained Sunday that the postponement of the planned increase in electricity prices would allow the authorities to plan and implement reforms in the debt-ridden energy sector.

"The energy sector is plagued by a lethal illness and they are trying to spread the disease to the remaining part of the economy," he declared, as cited by the Bulgarian National Radio.

He claimed that the main reasons for the predicament were the contracts with the US-owned coal-fired power plants in the Maritsa Basin, the production of renewable energy plants, the expenses on the suspended Belene nuclear power plant and on the Tsankov Kamak Hydroelectric Power Plant, the "deeply unprofessional" management of the energy sector, including of the energy watchdog, the Commission for Energy and Water Regulation (KEVR).

Danev argued that keeping electricity prices unchanged by end-2015 would provide the authorities to find solutions for the ailing energy sector.

To emphasize the impact of the planned upcoming power price hike, he said that a number of companies included in the BIA had already...