Unpaid energy bills from water utilities amount to 300 million euros

2024-07-30 08:27:00, Ekonomi CNA

Unpaid energy bills from water utilities amount to 300 million euros

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Despite a plan of measures to reduce arrears in the electricity sector from 2021, water utilities continue to owe about 300 million euros to the energy distribution company.

The data reported in the actual 2023 budget show that the total debt is 30.9 billion ALL, of which almost half is interest arrears.

"Until December 2023, OSHEE Group sh.a. reports that the accumulated liabilities of water supply and sewerage enterprises turn out to be in the amount of about 30.9 billion LEK. Of these, about LEK 16 billion are liabilities invoiced to the company and about LEK 15 billion are liabilities for late interest.

Of the total principal liabilities (without interest), only the company UK Durrës sh.a has LEK 5.46 billion of liabilities accumulated over the years," says the actual budget report.

Referring to the data, after the Durrës enterprise in the ranking comes the one of Vlora with 1.68 billion ALL, Patosi with 870 million ALL or Fieri and Kavaja with 790 million ALL and 770 million ALL respectively. This value does not include late interest.

The arrears of water and sewage companies' obligations to the energy company became a concern a few years ago, something that engaged both the Ministry of Finance and the Ministry of Energy and Infrastructure to draw up a plan of measures aimed at reducing this obligation.

But it seems that the developments have not been in favor of the reduction since the post-Covid situation that brought a chain effect on costs, the energy crisis that started in 2021 and culminated in 2022 or the Russia-Ukraine war all affected directly or indirectly.

For years, the water supply and sewerage sector has had problems not only with arrears towards energy, but with the loss as a whole that marks enterprises that cannot cover their operating costs.

This led to undertake the reform of the aggregation or union of water utilities, creating larger enterprises, while the approval of a series of new prices continued, with an upward trend for some of them. This reform is still ongoing and there are still companies that need to finalize the merger.

"The process of reforming and reorganizing the water sector continues, in accordance with the National Strategy of the Water Supply and Sewerage Sector 2020-2030.

Through this reform, in implementation of VKM no. 302 dated 11.05.2022 "On national policies for the reorganization of the sector of water supply and removal, treatment and processing of polluted water", the resizing of the 58 current UK enterprises through the regrouping of them in 15 SKP-UK companies (Entities with Joint Competences) regional. This, with the aim of increasing their good management and financial performance, which will inevitably generate sufficient income for the benefit of the smooth running of work processes and especially the repayment of accumulated liabilities, thus ensuring their creation in the future" it is stated in the actual budget report 2023./Monitor