Ljubljana, 24 September (STA) - The Environment, Climate, and Energy Ministry has announced that it does not plan to extend the current price caps on electricity beyond the new year, as the electricity prices on wholesale markets have stabilised. The ministry is meanwhile considering delaying the reintroduction of the renewable energy contribution.
Slovenia introduced price regulation for electricity in September 2022 in response to the sharp rise in energy prices caused by the global energy crisis, which was exacerbated by the conflict in Ukraine.
This year, households are still benefiting from regulated electricity prices, with prices capped for 90% of electricity consumption, while suppliers can freely charge for the remaining 10%. This measure is set to expire at the end of 2024, and the ministry is not contemplating an extension.
"Wholesale prices have stabilised, and throughout this year, they have mostly been significantly lower than last year's market prices," the ministry said on Tuesday.
Meanwhile, no decision has yet been made regarding the reintroduction of the contribution to support electricity production from high-efficiency cogeneration and renewable energy sources. In an effort to reduce inflation, the government had exempted households from paying this contribution for the last two months of 2023 and the entire 2024.
Households, except for those with solar power plants, were expected set to start paying the contribution again in 2025, but the ministry now says it is considering postponing the reintroduction of this contribution by at least three months to avoid it coinciding with the end of price regulation.
In the meantime, from October, a new system for calculating network charges will come into effect. According to the Energy Agency, this new system will distribute network costs more fairly. The average household is expected to pay less for network charges, while those placing a higher burden on the grid, such as owners of pools, saunas or electric vehicles, will pay more.
