At today’s session, the Riigikogu adopted a law that allows ending the provision of universal electricity service and strengthens the security of energy supply.
The universal service was created to put a limit on the price of electricity and thus protect people from the very high electricity bills of two winters ago. By now, electricity prices have fallen, and people who are left using the universal service have found themselves in a worse situation compared to those who buy electricity at the exchange price. Ending the service will lower the price of electricity for them. The law provides for the termination of universal service from July 1.
Also, a legal regulation is created for the introduction of the electricity reserve capacity mechanism, administrative costs related to liquid gas hauling docks and infrastructure are included in the reserve payment for strategic gas reserves, and the Competition Authority is given the right to initiate misdemeanor proceedings if it turns out that the seller has resold gas purchased from the strategic gas reserve to the consumer at a price higher than its purchase price.
During the second reading, the law was supplemented with a provision whose purpose is to ensure that the provision of general services is not interrupted. The change allows the distribution network operator to appoint a temporary electricity supplier in the event of a failed procurement until the electricity supplier is found through a new public procurement.
64 members of the Riigikogu voted in favor of terminating the Electricity Market Act and the Act on Amendments to Other Laws, i.e. universal service initiated by the government, two were against, and two members of the Riigikogu also abstained.
2024-04-16 07:59:58
#universal #service #Lääne #Elu #July