The legislation passed on a resounding 414-1 vote, with 26 abstentions, Polish state news agency PAP reported.
Energy-price freeze
Under the bill, next year households will be able to consume up to 2,000 kWh of energy at the guaranteed price from 2022, according to officials.
For families with members with disabilities, the limit will be 2,600 kWh.
For large families and farmers, the limit is set at 3,000 kWh.
Only energy consumed above these ceilings will be subject to 2023 prices, reporters were told.
The energy-price freeze will benefit some 17 million Polish households, officials said earlier this week.
One-off electricity allowance
Moreover, those who use electricity for heating will be eligible for a one-off electricity allowance of PLN 1,000 (EUR 210). For households that consume over 5 kWh of energy per year, the allowance rises to PLN 1,500 (EUR 315), Müller said.
The measure is targeted at some 800,000 households and is expected to cost PLN 1 billion (EUR 205.8 million).
Energy bill discount
Finally, households that reduce their energy consumption in the period between October 1, 2022 and December 31, 2023 by at least 10 percent, compared to the period between October 1, 2021 and December 31, 2022, will be eligible for a 10-percent discount on their total energy bill for the period between October 1, 2022 and December 31, 2023, the PAP news agency reported.
Total cost: up to EUR 5.5 bn
In all, the government plans to spend up to PLN 26.8 billion (EUR 5.5 billion) on these measures over the next three years, with the bulk of the sum to be allocated to energy companies as compensation for the electricity-price freeze and discounts, officials told reporters.
Earlier, the Cabinet introduced one-off allowances for families that use coal or several other means of heating, as well as freezing gas prices for households and public services such as hospitals and schools.
The bill to freeze electricity prices now goes to the Senate, the upper house, for consideration, the PAP news agency reported.
(pm/gs)
Source: PAP, tvpparlament.pl