Economy Minister Žiga: electricity price for companies 20-percent higher in Slovakia

During the creation of the Government Manifesto, the idea emerged that the Government should deal with high electricity prices for industrial clients, revealed Economy Minister Peter Žiga (Smer-SD). The electricity price for entrepreneurs is around 20-percent higher when compared to those in other countries. "When analysing the reason why, we found that the electricity price calculation includes the so-called 'system operational tariff' (TPS)." This tariff features subsidies for renewable energy resources (OZE) and subsidies for the combined production of power and heat, and for mining. All these items make the price of electricity in Slovakia 10 to 20-percent higher than in other western countries, said Minister Žiga. As a result, the Government has agreed to tackle the high electricity prices. When addressing the issue, it wants to follow the example from countries such as the Czech Republic and Germany, where the renewable energy resources part of the electricity price is paid directly from the state budget, said Minister Žiga.