Electricity price increase accepted by the Energy Regulation Office

The Energy Regulation Office (URE) has accepted electricity distributors' ne w charges, which will be in force for the next 12 months, starting 1 July. " Formally, the prices may increase by 4.9%, which is 3% more than last year's inflation rate, but on average the rise will be substantially lower, amounti ng to 2.5%," stated Dariusz Lubera from the Association of Energy Transmissi on and Distribution, at a press conference held yesterday. The price increas e is different for various groups of recipient, and varies from company to c ompany. The highest increase is to be experienced by householders, it will n ot, however, exceed 4.9%. Lubera added, "Some costs, which should be sustai ned by individual recipients, are paid by companies. To eliminate this type of subsidy, the prices for large companies should remain unchanged or even b e lowered. That would require a greater increase for individual clients. Obv iously, this cannot be implemented within one year." (Rzeczpospolita, p. B 4) K.Z.