The Energy Regulatory Office, ERO, announced on Thursday that it will increase the electricity price tariff by about 15 per cent after a request made by Kosovo Electricity Supply Company, KESCO, for a review of tariffs.

The Chairperson of the ERO Board, Ymer Fejzullahu, in a press conference said that the new tariffs will come into effect on April 1 and will be valid until March 2024.

“The result of a process for the review of tariffs that began in May last year ends today. At the meeting, it was decided that there will be a hike of about 15 per cent in tariffs for all consumers. Unless Kosovo Electricity Supply Company, KESCO, requests reconsideration of tariffs, the increase will last until March 2024”, said Fejzullahu.

According to the new tariffs, for consumers whose domestic energy consumption is up to 300 kWh — based on a 60 [high tariff] to 40 [low tariff] proportion of consumption – the monthly bill will increase by 2 euros and 80 cents.

For those who consume up to 450 kWh, their monthly bill will see a hike of nearly 4 euros and 18 cents.

Meanwhile, for those who consume up to 600 kWh, the rise in the monthly bill will be 5 euros. Finally, people who consume up to 800 kWh—an 80 per cent of consumers belong to this category—the monthly increase will be of about 7 euros and 23 cents.

The Energy Regulatory Office had proposed to increase 2023’s electricity tariffs by 13.4 per cent, following the request made by KESCO for an extraordinary tariff review.

In their report, KESCO stated that the energy and economic crises that characterized 2022 and will continue to be the case throughout 2023, have already seriously damaged the company’s financial position.

Kosovo has the capacity to produce about 800 MWh, while its needs, on winter days, reach up to 1,300 MWh. Thus, the rest of the demanded electricity is imported from abroad.

Kosovo faces a lack of sufficient energy production due to the capacity it has from the two power plants.

During 2022, but also in the previous years, there were continuous crises with the supply as a result of the malfunction of all the blocks in these power plants.

The Energy Strategy of the Government of Kosovo foresees the reconstruction of the blocks of the thermal power plant “Kosova A” in the near future.

Over 90 per cent of electricity production in Kosovo depends on coal-fired power plants, while the rest is covered by renewable energy.

Kosovo already has an agreement with The European Bank for Reconstruction and Development, EBRD for the construction of a solar park, which will be the first in the Western Balkans to be used for house heating in some areas of Prishtina.

Kosovo imports electricity according to the latter’s price on the Hungarian Power Exchange, HUPX.

At the old tariff rates, consumers using more than 800 kilowatt hours in a month paid 12.5 cents per kilowatt during high rates and 5.9 cents during low rates.