Bulgaria's Gas Price Hike Expected on August 31
The Energy and Water Regulatory Commission (EWRC) in Bulgaria will make its final decision on natural gas prices for September on August 31. The expected price increase is around 5.5%. Bulgargaz, the public supplier, has proposed a price of 41.60 euros per megawatt-hour, excluding access and transmission costs, excise duty, and VAT.
This small increase is attributed to recent applications from district heating companies, which have abandoned previous requests to reduce consumption. As a result, the monthly quantities of natural gas have increased, affecting the overall price mix. The share of Azerbaijani gas in the mix has also decreased, contributing to the final price.
Despite the expected increase, Bulgargaz points out that consumers will still pay around 22 euros/MWh less compared to European gas exchanges. The current futures for September on European exchanges are trading at levels of 63-65 euros/MWh.