Bislimoski: Possible reduction of current, more expensive electricity prices in April next year

Marko Bislimoski
Marko Bislimoski / Photo: MIA

Reduction of electricity prices can be expected from the second half of April next year, but that reduction is in relation to today's, more expensive prices, and not in relation to last year's prices, said in an interview with MIA correspondent from Athens the President of the Energy and Water Services Regulatory Commission (ERC) Marko Bislimoski, who during his chairmanship of the 50th Board of the Energy Community Regulators held in Athens, was re-elected Chairman of the Board.

Bislimoski expresses his satisfaction that the Energy Regulatory Commission, for the second time has a chairman who will chair the board of regulatory bodies "which is a recognition of the work of our institution" and reminds that only a few days ago ERC became an observer in the Agency for Cooperation EU energy regulators (ACER), which is in fact a body of European regulators set up by the European Commission.

- So we are realistically Energy Regulatory Commission which is side by side with all regulatory bodies of the European Union, says Bislimoski and adds that in ACER, from the region, only the Montenegrin regulatory body has the right to observe and a few days ago the Macedonian regulatory body body.

At today's meeting in Athens, in addition to electing a new chairman, the focus was on the current energy crisis, something that will be the main issue for the new Energy Community Regulatory Board.

- At this meeting, we are mostly focused on the energy crisis, which is largely a price crisis, and in some countries there is already a crisis in terms of security of supply of both electricity and natural gas. In addition to representatives of regulatory bodies from the countries in the region, at the meeting we have representatives from the European Commission, as well as a representative from ACER from European Union regulators, who already share their experiences and their recommendations issued to all member states. What makes me especially happy is that these recommendations, for the most part, have already been implemented in our country, but also in other countries, such as VAT reduction, assistance for vulnerable categories of consumers and the like, explains the ERC President.

Given that in addition to the countries of the regional Energy Community, representatives of the EC also participate in the meeting, in the conversation with MIA, Bislimoski reveals what are the scenarios for the end of the energy crisis.

- Our friends from the European Commission said that in Europe it is no longer said how long the energy crisis will last, because whatever they said in the past was missed as a date. There is a view that the reduction of prices can be expected from the second half of April onwards. But that reduction, let us all know, means a reduction in relation to the current prices, in relation to the drastic increase, explains the President of the Energy Regulatory Commission.

He points out that compared to last year, that means prices at least twice as high as we had in the first part of the year.

- That reduction is not to be 220-230 euros, but to fall to 110-120 euros. This is a reduction, but 110-120 euros per megawatt hour, which we call a reduction, is actually an increase compared to last year by more than twice, unfortunately. "But I believe that now we will hear the experiences of other countries, and in some of them, governments will certainly be involved in order to stabilize the situation in the energy sector as much as possible," said Bislimoski.

He added that after the meeting in Athens, the Board of Regulators will come to common conclusions, "which will be based primarily on solidarity and mutual support", but also that there may be a request to involve governments "in order to to help impact the energy crisis. "

- We can not be isolated, to say we will not have any changes when costs increase dramatically, but we will ask all stakeholders in the energy sector to be in solidarity and to include governments in the member states of the Energy Community in order to reduce this energy crisis, adds Bislimoski for MIA.

Analyzing the situation in the region, he says that the situation is especially bad in the countries that are importers of electricity and natural gas, namely Northern Macedonia, Moldova, Kosovo, to some extent and Montenegro because prices have risen sharply.

On the other hand, he says that in Bosnia and Herzegovina the situation is more relaxed, because they are exporters, especially of electricity, while in Ukraine the situation is still a bit unstable, because, as he says, they have problems with domestic coal production.

For Serbia, he comments that the situation is neutral, because for the most part, they provide their electricity needs from their own production, but usually in the winter they import, so, as he points out, we will see how the situation will develop in Serbia.

In December 2019, the Chairman of the Energy Regulatory Commission (ERC) was unanimously elected Chairman of the Board of Regulators of the Energy Community at the then regular meeting, and today received a new, two-year term.

Apart from Northern Macedonia, Serbia, Kosovo, Montenegro, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Moldova, Georgia, Ukraine and Albania are part of the Energy Community.

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