The Commission for the Protection of Competition (CPC) started a probe into the alleged abuse of a dominating position on the electricity market against the companies owned by EVN Bulgaria, the local subsidiary of the Austrian energy firm EVN. The reason for the investigation were letters and customer tip-offs from the city of Haskovo and a complaint filed by the town's municipal councillors, the regulator said in a statement on its website.

If found guilty of abusing its dominant position, EVN can be fined for up to 300 000 leva, according to the statement. EVN Bulgaria covers southern and southeastern Bulgaria, including the country's second largest city of Plovdiv.

Haskovo's citizens complained that the voltage of the electricity supplied by EVN Bulgaria was less than 220V and caused damages to household appliances. EVN has also refused to add new subscribers to its network with the argument that it did not own the power grid in those areas of the town, according to the complaint.

Haskovo citizens and municipal councillors also claim that the company has made no effort to assess the quality of the service it provides, which it is required to do by law.

According to the claim, property owners were also asked to concede the right of construction over six sq m over their private properties to build electricity transformers.

In September, CPC launched a probe against CEZ Bulgaria, the local arm of Czech energy firm CEZ, which provides electricity to Sofia and western Bulgaria, on suspicions of abusing its dominant position by introducing a quarterly billing system. Earlier this month, the country's utility regulator banned the practice, citing public mistrust.