News

19 September 2025

Ombudsman Velislava Delcheva refers the matter to the Energy Committee of the National Assembly after receiving over 200 complaints in a single day. The reason for this was the decision by Toplofikacia Sofia to carry out 90 days of repairs on the heat distribution network in the Druzhba-2 residential district. The work is scheduled to take place from 2 October to 30 December 2025 and will affect 120 residential buildings.

Delcheva insists that the Committee hear the executive director of Toplofikacia Sofia EAD, the Chair of the Energy and Water Regulatory Commission, and the Minister of Energy. The reason is the unprecedented length of the repairs at the beginning of the heating season and the question of whether the company is prepared for winter.

In her letter, the Ombudsman points out that, according to the Energy Act, Toplofikacia Sofia is obliged to guarantee the security, continuity, and quality of supply. The Minister of Energy is responsible for monitoring the technical condition of the network, while the Energy and Water Regulatory Commission (EWRC) monitors compliance with licensing conditions and security of supply.

The Ombudsman emphasizes that as early as the beginning of 2025, following explicit letters from the public defender's office, Toplofikacia Sofia had declared its readiness to carry out repairs after the end of the 2024–2025 heating season. This has not been done, which now puts thousands of households at risk of being left without heating and hot water. Among them are elderly people, families with young children, and low-income households. Delcheva also raises the question of whether the power grid in the area can withstand the increased load.

The Ombudsman also draws attention to the charging of estimated bills to customers who will not receive heat energy during the repair work. She insists that these charges be stopped.

In a separate letter to the executive director of Toplofikacia Sofia, Velislava Delcheva demands that the repair period be shortened, that the charging of estimated bills to affected customers be stopped, and that those affected in the Druzhba-2 residential complex be compensated.

"Citizens are rightly demanding a review of the organization and timing of repair work affecting thousands of households," the Ombudsman emphasized.

Meanwhile, the Ombudsman also sent a letter to the mayor of Sofia, calling on him to monitor  the schedules for the repair works and the readiness of the management of nurseries, kindergartens, schools, and medical facilities to work without heating and hot water. She also stressed the need to support socially disadvantaged people affected by the situation with alternative heating, for example in the form of financial assistance and/or the provision of heating appliances.