The Head of the Bulgarian State Commission for Energy and Water Regulation (DKEVR), Angel Semerdzhiev, stated there is a possibility to lower gas prices in the country during the third and fourth quarter of 2010.

Semerdzhiev spoke Thursday in an interview for the Bulgarian National Television, BNT, on the heels of an announcement of the gas supplier Bulgargaz that prices will have to go up 3% in October, contradicting DKEVR’s earlier forecasts that in the beginning of the cold season prices will go down as much as 10% to 15%.

The DKEVR Head said the exact price request from Bulgargaz will be known around September 10 while gas prices for the winter season (fourth quarter) are in the very initial stage of forming.

Regarding power outages that have been pestering the Bulgarian Black Sea coast since the end of July, leaving thousands of holidaymakers stranded without electric power, air conditioning and hot water, Semerdzhiev pointed out failures do happen and they always create inconveniences. According to him, the huge construction on the southern Bulgarian Black Sea coast is the reason for the blackouts, because the Austrian-owned power utility EVN had been unable to undertake adequate measures to respond to the increased demand.

When asked if customers will be compensated for losses accrued over the power outages, the DKEVR Head said all are EVN clients, and the National Electric Company (NEK), which owns the network, is not directly responsible.

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