The energy-sector regulator, the ERU, has set retail electricity prices for residential customers for 2003. These are still without choice of electricity supplier and are supplied by their regional electricity distributor (as of the beginning of 2003, approx. 40% of the domestic market will have been liberalized). As expected, the prices most distributors can charge were decreased: JME (-9.1%), SME (-8.8%), SCE (-5.6%), VCE (-3.1%), PRE (-1.7%), and JCE, ZCE and STE (no change). We had expected an on-average decline of 5%, which is approx. in line with the above.
Recall that CEZ is to acquire a majority in five of the eight regional distributors; approval is expected from the Anti-Monopoly Office early next month.
The second reactor of the Temelin nuclear power plant was de-activated this past weekend for light turbine maintenance (the block had been re-started last Wednesday after two months of turbine adjustments).
Jiri Soustruznik