The Ministry of Energy has prepared legislative changes aimed at minimizing power supply failures in the winter due to deteriorated weather conditions. This became clear during a meeting of the Minister of Energy Vladimir Malinov with the leadership of the National Association of Municipalities in the Republic of Bulgaria, at which measures were discussed to prevent critical situations with power supply shutdowns for long periods of time in the future, as in the last days of 2024.
The participants in the meeting reached agreement on the proposal of the Minister of Energy that it is necessary to fix in the legislation a minimum percentage of the investments made by electricity distribution companies for maintenance, rehabilitation and repair of the network. Their investment programs should be publicly available and local authorities should also be able to comment on them before their approval by the Energy and Water Regulatory Commission, is another measure announced by Minister Malinov.
Intensified control over the actual implementation of investment programs at the municipal level is of crucial importance. Sanctions for failure to implement investments will be significantly increased, it became clear during the meeting. The legislation will also include a regulatory requirement for electricity distribution companies to provide alternative electricity supply in the event of long-term accidents. The penalties provided for in the general terms and conditions of the companies with their customers should be increased, the participants in the meeting believe.