Gas prices up again

From April, Polish Oil and Gas' (PGNiG) wholesale gas prices will grow by 8.8 percent, but the increase for households could reach 15 percent because delivery fees will also go up.

"This cannot be avoided as we can no longer compensate the growth of world gas prices by slowing down the increase of delivery fees. It would finally result in the regular breakdowns of delivery facilities and failure to deliver gas to households," said Leszek Juchniewicz, CEO of the Energy Regulatory Office (URE). The regulator claims that although percentage-wise the increase looks significant, the prices won't grow significantly. However, those who use the least gas will see the largest increase in their bills. The system prefers those who use gas to heat their households rather than those who use it for cooking.

PGNiG applied to URE for a 20-percent increase in wholesale gas prices but obtained approval for only 8.8.