The provisions for the implementation of measures for rural electricity that include debt regulation and ensuring competitive costs from renewable energy units are included in an amendment that was submitted to the draft law on the “Strengthening of legal matter”, which is being discussed in the Parliament.

These are the recently announced measures and are mainly based on bilateral long-term (at least ten years) contracts for the supply of electricity to rural consumers

The amendment provides for the connection of said RES units to the networks with absolute priority, while for the overdue debts until 31/12/2023 are provided with the option of interest-free settlement as the State undertakes to pay the interest to the suppliers. Absolute priority is also provided for RES that will supply energy-intensive industries.

According to the estimates of the Ministry of Environment and Energy, the prices for rural electricity are as follows:

For the first 2 years:

Rural electricity connection holders belonging to cooperative schemes or practicing contract farming without arrears: 9.3 cents per kilowatt hour

Other non-arrears rural electricity connection holders: 9.8 cents per kilowatt hour

Owners of rural electricity connections belonging to cooperative schemes or practicing contract farming with overdue debts: 10.5 cents per kilowatt hour

Other rural electricity connection holders with overdue debts: 11 cents per kilowatt hour

For the remaining 8 years, for 1/3 of the consumption of the specific benefits, the price is uniform and is set at 9 cents per kilowatt hour.