From social assistance to energy poverty/ New draft law expands the category of "clients in need"
The Ministry of Infrastructure and Energy has released for public consultation amendments to the law on the electricity sector, where one of the innovations relates to the way in which “customers in need” are defined and supported. Unlike the current law, the new draft law aims to move from a limited social approach to a broader concept of energy poverty.
According to the draft, the status of a customer in need will continue to be determined by the Ministry responsible for social affairs, in cooperation with other institutions and in consultation with the Energy Regulatory Authority. But for the first time, in addition to income and consumption levels, factors such as energy costs and the energy efficiency conditions of households are also included in the assessment.
This means that beneficiaries will not only be low-income families, but also those who, despite their income, face high energy costs or live in homes with poor energy efficiency.
The draft law also provides for a more structured system for identifying and tracking this category. Customers in need will be registered in a special register by social structures, while their data will be forwarded to distribution operators and energy suppliers.
Another new element is the obligation for international reporting, where the Ministry must notify the Energy Community Secretariat of the measures taken to protect customers in need.
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