The Bulgarian energy watchdog DKEVR postponed on Monday its decision whether to suspend permits of grid operators in the country.

A new session on that matter is due to be held on May 12, as Expert.bg reported.

Bulgaria's energy regulation body cited as a reason for its move the need of time for power distributors CEZ, EVN and Energo-PRO to "specify their positions".

A dispute emerged earlier in 2014 between the National Electricity Company (NEK) and the distributors over hundreds of millions of BGN, which each side claims it should be paid back by the other one.

According to NEK, operators owe BGN 348 M (EUR 174 M) in total, with BGN 216.5 M of them ascribed to Austria's EVN, 67.4 M to the Czech Republic's Energo PRO, and 67.3 M - to Czech-based CEZ.

The distributors, for their part, say they are to be transferred BGN 415 M (EUR 207.5 M) for green energy distribution and argue they have actually "kept back" that the sum allegedly owed to NEK as it partially covers these liabilities.

As a result, DKEVR has announced it mulls scrapping licenses of power distributors.

Bulgaria's Economy Ministry meddled into the dispute earlier in April, as its head Dragomir Stoynev declared that state could step into the management of power distributors, but added this would not be tantamount to nationalization.

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