Bečarević tells Buljubašić: 350 kWh is electricity consumption on the poverty line, publish your electricity bill

(Patria) - President of the Cantonal Council of SBiH KS Almir Bečarević sent a letter to the General Director of JP Elektroprivreda BiH Sanel Buljubašić.

"I read with great interest the statement of JPEPBIH in which you present the company's view regarding the increase in electricity prices. I believe, after reading the statement three times, that it would have been better if you had not submitted it to the media at all, because the documents unfortunately clearly contradict you.

Namely, the Rulebook on the methodology for determining prices does not, in any place or in any article, provide for the differentiation of consumers based on the amount of electricity consumption. This practically means that it is nowhere stipulated that a consumer pays more if their electricity consumption is higher. If I am wrong, please cite that article, because even in the statement, JPEPBIH does not mention the article it refers to.

What is particularly interesting, and can be read in the JPEPBIH statement, is that, I quote:

"However, any additional increase in electricity consumption affects an additional increase in electricity prices for end customers, because it creates a need to purchase additional quantities of electricity on the market."

In the annex to JPEPBIH's request for an increase in electricity prices, Table 5, it states, I quote: PROCUREMENT OF ELECTRICITY ON THE MARKET 0 (ZERO).

This means that JPEPBIH, as a Public Supplier, does not procure electricity on the market at all for the purpose of supplying households.

It logically raises the question of how, then, for households, the rule applies that an additional increase in electricity consumption creates a need to purchase additional quantities of electricity, when JPEPBiH specifies in its annex to the request that it procures 0 (ZERO) quantities of electricity on the market.

Based on the above, JPEPBIH's request is incomplete and FERK could not have decided on it.

The method of forming electricity prices in three electric power companies and the different prices for end customers is an absurdity of the system we live in. The absurdity of this system is particularly evident in the FBiH because there is one regulator's rulebook, but two methods of price formation. If something has existed for 30 years (it hasn't existed for 30 years, but since the formation of FERK), it doesn't mean it shouldn't be changed once, but that remark is addressed to FERK, not to the electric power companies.

I will repeat for the truthful information of consumers and the public, the Rulebook on the methodology for determining prices is one, but we have diametrically opposite methods of determining prices, where we now witness a market practice where JPEPBIH 'punishes' consumers who consume larger amounts of electricity, while EPHZHB 'rewards' consumers who consume larger amounts of electricity in the summer period.

Finally, I think it would have been better (not to say wiser) if JPEPBIH had not commented on the increase in electricity prices at all, because the documents very clearly contradict you.

And ultimately, 350 kWh is electricity consumption on the poverty line, and it would be fair for you to publicly publish your electricity consumption bill, since JPEPBiH so much proclaims the rationality of consumption on the poverty line," Bečarević stated.