The electricity market in Bulgaria was officially liberalised as of July 1 2007 in compliance with European Union requirements.

Bulgaria’s State Energy and Water Regulation Commission (SEWRC) announced that household consumers and small companies could choose from where to buy electricity, investor.bg reported.

There are currently nearly 20 licensed electricity traders on the market, SEWRC said.

The facts show that nothing has been done in three years about liberalising the market, and there is only wholesale electricity trader, investor.bg said.

The most recent available data showed that only 10 to 15 per cent of domestic electricity consumption had been traded freely when the figure should be at least 80 per cent.

Recently the National Electricity Company (NEC) asked for a price increase of electricity sold to electricity suppliers. SEWRC allowed only a lower price increase.

Specialists from the sector think that if a free market exists, the NEC should be allowed to sell electricity at a price which would guarantee its profit.

Clear rules and an energy bourse are needed to guarantee the self-regulation of the market, experts said.