Bulgaria’s Parliament approves compensation for consumers hit by Festive Season power cuts

Bulgaria’s Parliament voted on February 19 to approve the second and final reading of legislation tabled by MPs from the ruling majority to provide financial compensation to several thousand consumers who were affected by power cuts during the Festive Season.

Amid severe winter weather that damaged infrastructure, several thousand consumers in several towns and villages were left without electricity between December 21 and 31 2024, in some cases for several days.

At the end of December, the caretaker government of the time approved a sum of 2.2 million leva for the Ministry of Energy to pay into the Electricity System Security Fund to compensate 26 000 household electricity consumers. Those who had been left without electricity for more than 24 hours were eligible to receive payment.

At second reading, a provision was introduced requiring power distribution companies to pay back funds provided to them by the Electricity System Security Fund. They must do so within a month or face confiscation of the funds.

As approved, the legislation gives the Cabinet three days after promulgation of the law to adopt a programme setting the conditions and procedures for providing the financial compensation.

(Archive photo, of a pylon downed in 2016 during a previous bout of severe winter weather: EVN)