The state will offer subsidies for paying the heat bills to vulnerable consumers as from November. In this connection, the Ministry of Labor and Social Protection will pay an advance of 200 million lei from the fund to reduce energy vulnerability to SA “Termoelectrica”, as the Commission for Exceptional Situations decided, IPN reports.
This will enable SA “Termoelectrica” to purchase additional volumes of crude oil for the cold period of the year. The supplier will monthly inform the Ministry of Labor and Social Protection about the subsidies provided to vulnerable consumers in accordance with the regulations on the deciding of energy venerability categories and setting and providing of subsidies for paying heat bills that were approved by the Government.
At the same time, to support a larger number of socially disadvantaged families, the cold-month allowance as from November 1 and during the state of emergency will be calculated according to an updated formula. The money will be offered to the applicant families with an average monthly income lower than the monthly minimum income guaranteed in accordance with the legislation and lower than the guaranteed monthly income based on the coefficient increased to 2.6.
The applications for social assistance submitted to local social assistance bodies as from November 1 are reexamined automatically through the automated information system “Social Assistance” that will determine the eligibility without a new application for social assistance being needed.
The Commission for Exceptional Situations’ order also stipulates measures to increase the capacity to purchased natural gas and electrical energy to SA “Energocom”. For the purpose, the state budget law for 2022 was amended to enable to allocate 4 billion lei to SA “Energocom” for increasing its share capital.
