News

8 June 2026

Ombudsman Velislava Delcheva sent a statement to Plamen Mladenovski, Chairman of the Energy and Water Regulatory Commission (EWRC), in which she categorically states that electricity prices, effective from 1 July 2026, are unreasonably high.

The Ombudsman’s statement comes in light of the upcoming public consultation on the report and the draft decision to approve electricity rates for household consumers effective from 1 July 2026.

The draft proposal by the EWRC calls for electricity prices to increase by 3.11% for Electrohold Sales EAD, by 3.24% for EVN Bulgaria Electricity Supply EAD, and by 2.38% for Energo-Pro Sales AD.

The Ombudsman once again points out that the report’s content is difficult for the public to understand and does not provide sufficient information to allow for an independent assessment of whether the proposed prices are based on objective criteria and economically justified costs.

In her statement, Delcheva raises specific questions regarding the increase in the cost of electricity transmission via the electricity transmission grid, the determination of technology costs for electricity distribution companies, the rise in operating and administrative expenses, as well as the methodology for setting the ratio between day and night rates.

 “In light of the above, I consider the electricity rates effective from 1 July 2026 to be unreasonably high. Electricity is a vital service that meets basic human needs and provides essential conveniences, and for some, it is directly linked to the maintenance of their vital functions,” writes the Ombudsman.

Delcheva also points out that the Ombudsman Institution is constantly receiving complaints from entire communities regarding the poor quality of electricity service, frequent outages, and low voltage in the power supply.

“It is more than obvious that the planned repairs are not achieving their goals, and citizens are suffering inconvenience and financial losses due to damaged electrical appliances. We have also witnessed how unusually high bills at the beginning of the year led to significant financial difficulties for households. The latest price increase, albeit an average of 2.99%, will place an even greater burden on household budgets and is a precursor to a decline in the population’s purchasing power,” notes Velislava Delcheva.

She further emphasises that electricity is a service of paramount importance for the normal lives of citizens and that any price increase must be thoroughly justified and publicly defensible.

The Ombudsman is calling on the EWRC to conduct a further analysis of the costs justifying the price increase for household consumers, as well as to provide evidence that all possible reserves and tools have been used to limit the financial burden on households.

“I urge the Commission to reconsider the proposed increase in electricity prices by providing a clear analysis of the costs that necessitate the price hike for household consumers, and by demonstrating that all possible reserves and tools have been utilised to limit price increases,” Delcheva writes in her statement.