Bulgarian Energy Regulator Plans Stiffer Sanctions for Electricity Theft

Bulgaria’s energy regulator plans to treble the price of electricity paid in cases of power theft and also increase the period, for which the penalty tariff is applied retroactively.

A customer found to have stolen electricity will have to pay BGN 202 per MWh versus BGN 67 now under changes to energy regulations being considered by the Energy and Water Regulatory Commission (KEVR), its chairman, Ivan Ivanov, told bTV broadcaster on Tuesday.

The period for paying for power theft retroactively will be increased from the current three months from the moment the offenders have been found guilty by a court, Ivanov added. He stopped short of saying how long the new period will be, but added that in some European countries it is six months or even a year.

KEVR plans to introduce the increased penalties for electricity theft in the existing regulations but, according to Ivanov, it would be better if they were made part of the Energy Law.

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