Kremen Georgiev, former Executive Director of Toplofikatsiya Sofia (District Heating Sofia) and Chairman of the Association of Toplosation Companies, shared in an interview with BNR, that heating and hot water bills in January will rise compared to December. While the theoretical increase could be around 24%, the actual rise is expected to be closer to 18%. Georgiev explained in an interview with BNR that the average temperature in Sofia this January is already about 0.7 degrees lower than in December 2024, which means higher energy usage.

Georgiev noted that each degree of temperature drop requires about 10% more energy to maintain a comfortable indoor temperature. Many residents of Sofia had hoped for lower bills this season after the decrease in steam and hot water prices by 7% in the capital and by up to 14% in other cities like Burgas starting in July 2024. However, the colder than usual December, with an average monthly temperature of 2 degrees, resulted in increased energy consumption, leading to higher bills.

He also clarified that while the 24% heat loss through the network is a significant figure, it’s within normal limits for the industry. According to Georgiev, these losses are part of the energy production process and do not impact subscribers directly, as the heat is measured at the subscriber station. If Sofia's district heating losses were as high as 40%, the Energy and Water Regulatory Commission (EWRC) would not approve the cost increase based on those losses, Georgiev added.

Source: BNR interview