Residents of dwelling blocks that are not equipped with heat meters pay more for thermal energy

The average price of 1 sq m of heated surface in the apartments in Chisinau has dropped by about 1 leu in December 2006, compared to December 2005 and makes up 4.53 lei, according to data from “Infocom” Enterprise. The residents of one-room apartments paid for December 118 lei on average, people living in two-room flats paid 165 lei, and individuals sharing a three-room apartment about 250 lei. Those living in 4-room flats are to pay 326 lei on average, people in 5-room and 6-room apartments 395 lei and, respectively, 425 lei. The prices are higher for the blocks of flats that are not endowed with thermal meters, “Infocom” director Ion Margineanu says. For December last year, one sq m of heated surface in these buildings cost 6.5 lei, which is by over 2 lei more than in the blocks that are equipped with meters, where one sq m cost 4.18 lei on average. Earlier, sales director of “Teremocom” Mihai Arusoi stated that the heating services are paid this year in a larger proportion, the level of payment being set at 78,7%, compared to 65,1% in the same period of last year. The state budget’s current debts to “Termocom” total about 1.7 mln lei, debts of the local budget over 3 mln lei, and of the legal entities over 415 mln lei. The population owes the heat supplier 303 mln lei.