Energy bill payment made compulsory for all operators

TIRANA, Oct. 17 – The Economy and Energy Ministry has announced some changes that make the paying of energy bills compulsory for all market operators. The Ministry of Economy has proposed that the changes to the current law foresees considering as ‘executive titles’ not only bills issues by distribution operator CEZ Shperndarje but also other operators engaged in the sale, purchase and transmission of electricity, such as state owned utility, KESH, and transmission operator, OST. The changes are first of all intended to settle old debts between state-owned utility KESH and CEZ Shperndarje. KESH says distribution system operator Cez Shperndarje owes the Albanian Power Corporation Euro 50 million for unpaid energy since July 2010. CEZ also claims dozens of millions of euro in unpaid electricity especially from state owned institutions, the majority of them being water supply companies. The Ministry considers the compulsory payment of electricity bills even if contested a tool of support for CEZ Shperndarje and successful experience which has regulated financial relations between contracting parties. In the new 2012 electricity contract, CEZ officials have opposed a proposal by energy watchdog ERE to suspend bills in which consumers have been overcharged, suggesting that the bill must be paid before verification takes place.