The Walloon government has adopted a first set of measures, mainly to support the most vulnerable households in the face of soaring energy prices, it announced on Wednesday evening, at the end of a debate on the subject in regional parliament during which the parliamentarians of the majority indicated that they had tabled decree proposals echoing the decisions of the executive. Certain measures taken during the health crisis will thus be renewed, specifies the government.
This is the case of the status of protected economic client which will be extended until August 31, 2023. A winter moratorium on home evictions will also be put in place for evictions from private accommodation until March 15, 2023 and cuts in energy will be suspended for households during the months of November and December 2022.
A line to answer questions
Then, the provisions relating to the passage before the justice of the peace before any termination of contract and cut will come into force. Other support measures for households will also be taken: facilitating the negotiation of payment plans or even mobilizing the 1718 telephone line for any question relating to the energy situation and the aid provided by the Walloon Region, details the executive. The latter also intends to fight against ‘surplus profits’ in the skills that are his.
Within this framework, the CWApE has been instructed to assess, within 15 days, whether exceptional ‘surplus profits’ are made by gas and electricity distributors and by renewable energy producers. For companies, various schemes already exist: Easygreen for SMEs and WalEnergie for larger companies. All requests from companies linked to the crisis are centralized via 1890.
In addition, a task force has been set up with the government, economic tools and the administration, continue the regional authorities. According to the latter, any request concerning a reduction of an energy impact will be processed by an accelerated procedure (insulation, photovoltaic, etc.)
The last section of the measures concerns energy savings, with in particular an increase in the overall budget for zero-interest loans to renovate one’s home; reducing the energy consumption of public buildings – two circulars have been sent to all Walloon administrations and local authorities in order to ask them to reduce their energy consumption as much as possible – or even reducing lighting road on the regional network while taking into account road safety requirements. Finally, the government “will continue to examine all other possible avenues to further help households and businesses”he assured.