The latest video by Net-Zero Lab, part of the educational campaign “Informed Consumer Choice” reveals the hidden cost of electricity and shows the steps households can take to benefit from the liberalized market.
In the episode “The Real Price of Electricity and the Steps to Switching Suppliers” it is shown that behind the perception of “cheap electricity” stand billions of leva in subsidies, which do not appear on household bills but are paid by all taxpayers. In the past four years alone, more than 3.7 billion leva in compensations have been allocated to the public supplier NEC through the Security of the Electricity System Fund, while an additional 480 million leva have gone to the state-owned coal power plant. Moreover, Kozloduy NPP and NEC’s hydropower plants have been selling electricity below market value, resulting in lost revenues of over 4 billion leva.
“The truth is that subsidies do not make electricity cheaper – they merely shift the cost to another column. Market liberalization will bring these costs to light and show the real price we are paying anyway,” comment the experts from Net-Zero Lab.
The video not only explains this “invisible support” – around 20 leva per household per month for the period July 2025 – June 2026 – but also demonstrates how consumers can switch their electricity supplier. The procedure is completely free of charge, takes about a month, and allows households to choose between different offers, including 100% green electricity.
Temporary subsidies create only an illusion of security, while lasting solutions lie in investments in energy efficiency and renewable sources. Recommendations include:
- comparing offers through the platforms of EWRC (Energy and Water Regulatory Commission) and elca.bg;
- purchasing energy-efficient appliances, insulation, LED lighting, and smart metering devices;
- making long-term investments – such as installing rooftop solar panels or joining energy communities.
Watch the video here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yM4vTiB9yDk
All materials from the campaign “Informed Consumer Choice” are available at: netzerolab-feba.bg/bg/knowledge-box/consumer-choice/
Media publications about the campaign: