Today the utility regulator URSO published the new gas prices for next year, with a hike of 4.4% for households and just over 6% for the central generation of heat for households.
The news was announced by head of the URSO Board for Regulation, Jozef Holjencik, and it is far below the most recent 14% hike requested by gas utility SPP. This year SPP submitted a total of 8 price proposals from 7% to 30%, but all of them were rejected.
The price hike will not have such a dramatic impact on households, with larger homes that use gas for heating, hot water and cooking paying upward of EUR 50 more next year. Holjencik claims the price of central heat generation will have a negligible effect on households.
Holjencik justified the increase by the weakening euro, but said this was partly offset by reservations found in the costs side of SPP, which therefore kept the hike down to well below that given in the calculations of the gas company. This is the first time the utility regulator URSO has determined prices at its own initiative.