Bulgargaz is seeking a 5.5% rise in its regulated wholesale gas price for September, setting the proposed level at around €41.60/MWh. The company linked the adjustment to stronger expected demand and a less favourable supply mix. The proposal follows an August regulated price of approximately €39.40/MWh.
The August figure represented a 4.5% increase from July, extending the upward movement in Bulgaria’s regulated gas benchmark into a second consecutive month if September is approved as proposed. Bulgargaz CEO Georgi Tatarski said the September level would still be more than €22/MWh below prices on European exchanges and Bulgaria’s Balkan Gas Hub.
Demand revisions and changes in contracted volumes
The latest calculation was prepared after changes in demand expectations. Several district-heating companies that had previously asked for reductions in their contracted gas volumes later withdrew those requests. They did so after revising anticipated consumption higher.
This shift in expected usage coincides with procurement conditions that Bulgargaz described as less advantageous. In parallel, the supplier’s supply mix affects the cost of volumes used within the portfolio for each pricing period.
Portfolio mix and the role of Azerbaijani supply
Azerbaijani gas remains the cheapest source within the Bulgargaz portfolio, but its share of total supply has decreased. That change increases the relative contribution of more expensive volumes to the overall procurement mix.
Bulgargaz’s regulated wholesale price is also used beyond the supplier itself, functioning as an important benchmark across Bulgaria’s market. District-heating companies are among the most directly exposed users, while distribution businesses and industrial consumers also reference the regulated level when assessing procurement costs.
The updated revision underscores that Bulgaria’s domestic wholesale price depends on both European gas-market movements and the composition of Bulgargaz’s portfolio. It also reflects how much lower-priced Azerbaijani supply is available during each pricing period.
