Electricity rates for consumers will remain unchanged for at least until May 31, announced Prime Minister Natalia Gavrilița after the meeting of the Commission for Emergencies on Friday evening.
This time span will be used to identify “a more sustainable solution”, she added.
Gavrilița said that all the bids received so far from electricity suppliers have been unaffordable. The lowest price on offer is $96.5 for a megawatt hour, which is nearly double the one paid today. “Accepting it would mean a substantial increase in consumer rates and a cascade of price hikes for most domestic products. The cost of electricity is a component that influences price formation”.
In these circumstances, the Government empowered Energocom to negotiate directly with the Kuchurgan power plant, as an intermediate solution for one month. The result is a negotiated price of $59.5 per megawatt hour. Despite this being an increase from the current $53.5, Gavrilița says consumer rates will “practically” remain unchanged.
Meanwhile, the Commission for Emergencies instructed the Ministry of Environment to issue a temporary environmental permit to the Rybnitsa Steel Works. The authorization is valid for the same period as the agreement for the purchase of electricity from the Kuchurgan Power Plant, i.e. until May 31.
