News

13 February 2025

The Ombudsman Institution approached the Standing Energy Committee in Parliament and the Energy Minister due to the two major breakdowns in the infrastructure of Toplofikacia Sofia that in recent days left tens of thousands of people in the capital city without heating and running hot water in temperatures below zero.

We recall that the Institution has already asked the Energy and Water Regulatory Commission (EWRC) to conduct an unplanned inspection and demand damages from the company for the breakdown on 9 February when five metropolitan districts were hit: Mladost-1, Studentski Grad, Durvenitsa, Vitosha and Malinova Dolina. The Ombudsman Institution insisted that the implementation of the repair and investment program be verified for compliance with licensing obligations – specifically the maintenance of high-quality and uninterrupted heat supply during the current heating season.

As of today, due to a major breakdown again of the main heating pipeline of III-А Iskarska Magistrala, nine other districts in Sofia will remain unheated. These are Hristo Smirnenski, Geo Milev, Yavorov, Podouene-Center, Redouta, Iztok, Dianabad, Lozenets and part of Drouzhba-1.

“The announcements of Toplofikacia Sofia EAD explain that in both cases the reasons are the poor shape of the company’s facilities. In the first case, the operational life of the main stem of the Stoudentski Grad main heating pipeline is over. In the other case, the main pipeline is damaged and Toplofikacia Sofia EAD defined the breakdown as serious. In addition, the shutdown of heat supply during repairs will be used to do a number of other emergence repairs on the heat transmission infrastructure (on Geo Milev Street at the intersection with 22 Septemvri Street, on General Jose de San Martin Street at the intersection with Svetlostroui Street, on James Bourchier Blvd. in the area of the Faculty of Mathematics and Informatics and the Faculty of Physics, on Stoyan Mihailovski Street near the intersection with Zlatovruh Street, on Nezabravka Street at the intersection with Elemag Street, in the garden of Aviation Square, in Drouzhba-1 near block 95)”, the Secretary General of the Ombudsman Dr. Aysun Avdjiev writes to the Members of Parliament.

He suggests, at they see it fit, and in keeping with the Internal Operating Rules of the Energy Committee, to hear all persons who are in charge of the problems: the Executive Director of Toplofikacia Sofia EAD, the EWRC Chairman and the Energy Minister “on matters concerning the security and quality of heat supply and pertaining to the rights and interests of the customers of Toplofikacia Sofia EAD.

Separately, Dr. Avdjiev approached the Energy Minister with reference to his powers under Art. 75 of the Energy Act and emphasized that since the beginning of the heating season, the Ombudsman Institution has been receiving complaints from citizens, namely, about the frequent and unplanned cuts of heat supply to a number of residential areas in Sofia.

Dr. Avdjiev pointed out that the breakdowns of the worn pipes in the most unfavorable season both for customers and for earthworks and repairs rightly raise doubts about the real shape of the heating pipes and raise questions about the fulfilment of the maintenance obligations of the company, including whether the planned investments and repairs were carried out during the non-heating summer season.