According to Velenje municipality, thermal power plant Sostanj, operated by state-owned HSE, sent a request to the Energy Agency of the Republic of Slovenia in June for a 40 % increase in the price of thermal energy.
The cited reason for the increase is the increased cost of purchasing emission permits (ETS). Local communities oppose this request since it will directly affect heating prices in the Saleska valley.
According to calculations, thermal energy costs are expected to increase by 30 to 35 % for both residential and commercial consumers. The local communities of the Saleska valley are opposed to such a high rise in heat prices, so TPP Sostanj and the Energy Agency have requested that the relevant share of positive financial effects resulting from the out-of-court settlement from March, worth 261 million euros, be taken into account as free emission coupons.
Local communities also requested that reduced depreciation costs due to last year’s impairment of assets be taken into account in the calculation. TPP Sostanj made the last price increase in January 2019, which increased the price of thermal energy by 23.58 % to 21.32 euros/MWh.
