Bulgaria Faces Surge in Electricity Complaints as Hundreds Report High Bills

The Bulgarian Ombudswoman, Velislava Delcheva, has reported receiving close to 1,000 complaints from citizens regarding electricity bills, with around 800 directly concerning unusually high charges. The influx of complaints prompted a meeting organized by Delcheva to address the growing public concern.

Delcheva noted that the number of grievances is five times higher than during the high-bill crisis of 2013, a period that previously sparked protests. Additionally, over 900 people submitted petitions from 14 different settlements, highlighting the widespread nature of the problem. She also pointed out the absence of options for consumers to pay bills in installments. Delcheva committed to compiling all opinions and proposals shared during the meeting and forwarding them to relevant institutions, including the caretaker Prime Minister Andrey Gyurov and the National Assembly.

The caretaker Minister of Economy and Industry, Irina Shtonova, acknowledged the issue and emphasized ongoing efforts to address it. She noted that inspections conducted by the Consumer Protection Commission revealed results that raise serious questions, signaling a genuine problem. Shtonova stressed the need for transparency from electricity companies, particularly regarding unusually high bills, including cases where properties were unoccupied.

Meanwhile, caretaker Minister of Energy Traycho Traykov assured that the government has been monitoring the issue since the beginning of its mandate, including implementing automatic analysis to ensure that no consumer pays more than their actual consumption. Traykov underscored the need to examine each case individually to prevent unfair charges.

Plamen Mladenovski, Chairman of the Energy and Water Regulatory Commission (EWRC), reported that the commission is currently handling 6,548 complaints, with 3,707 already processed. He highlighted that electricity consumption patterns vary, noting that November 2025 saw lower consumption than November 2024, while December 2025 was higher compared to the same month in the previous year.

Mladenovski explained that 130 on-site inspections were conducted, and 50 electricity meters were removed to verify accuracy. The preliminary findings indicate that the complaints are largely related to households heated by electricity, with different heating methods, such as air conditioning, convectors, or natural gas, accounting for variations in consumption. The inspections and analyses are ongoing to ensure fairness and resolve the issues highlighted by consumers.