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Polish gov’t unveils plan to cap heating bills for households, public institutions

17.01.2023 22:00
Poland’s government has approved a plan to help households and public institutions with heating bills amid an energy crisis caused by Russia’s war on Ukraine.
Polands government on Tuesday adopted a bill to help households and public institutions with the costs of heating amid an energy crisis caused by Russias war in Ukraine.
Poland’s government on Tuesday adopted a bill to help households and public institutions with the costs of heating amid an energy crisis caused by Russia's war in Ukraine. PAP/Marcin Bielecki

The proposal was unveiled by Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki’s office on Tuesday, Polish state news agency PAP reported.  

It applies to households as well as hospitals, schools and kindergartens, according to officials. 

Heating price increases capped at 40% compared with Sept 2022

Under the bill, from February 1, 2023, the net price of heating for customers in a given heating network may not rise higher than 40 percent above the price in place as of September 30, 2022.

If the prices do rise higher than by 40 percent, the heating supplier will receive compensation from the government, to ensure that for customers, prices do not rise higher than the 40-percent limit, officials told reporters. 

The PM’s office said: “Thanks to this measure, the increase in heating prices for households and public institutions will be further limited to a given level, which will depend on heating prices in the past.”

“Hopefully the Sejm [lower house of parliament] will now process the bill as soon as possible,” Poland's Climate and Environment Minister Anna Moskwa tweeted.

Under the existing regulations, the average price of heating is capped at PLN 150,95 (EUR 32,14) per 1 GJ net for heating produced using natural gas or heating oil; and at PLN 103,82 (EUR 22,10) per 1 GJ net for heating produced using other fuels, the PAP news agency reported. 

In early November, Poland’s President Andrzej Duda signed into law a measure to cap the prices of electricity as part of efforts to protect households, local governments and businesses from rising energy costs driven by Russia’s war on Ukraine. 

Tuesday is day 328 of Russia’s war against Ukraine. 

pm/gs

Source: PAP, polskieradio24.pl, bankier.pl