Rīgas siltums: Heating Tariff May Rise by 20–30% This Season
Rīgas siltums, the company supplying heat in Riga, warns that rising energy prices may push up the heating tariff this season, though it forecasts an increase of no more than 20–30%. A Saeima committee discussed the issue yesterday.
Residents of Riga may face higher heating costs this heating season because energy resource prices are rising. This follows information from Rīgas siltums, the company that provides heat energy in the Latvian capital, as reported by 360TV Ziņas. A Saeima committee (the Latvian parliament) discussed yesterday how the company could cut costs and avoid an overly sharp increase in the heating tariff.
Tariff forecast
Current price trends could require a higher heat energy tariff. The company, however, forecasts that the increase will not exceed 20–30%. The effect of the price rise is being softened by natural gas purchases made in good time, the use of biofuel and more flexible operation on the heat energy market.
Readiness for the season
Rīgas siltums says it is ready for the heating season. At the end of September, the readiness of buildings' heating substations exceeded 94%. At the same time, the company continues to look for ways to reduce the impact of rising energy prices on the tariff.
Long-term plans
The company is also seeking long-term solutions so that it depends less on natural gas price changes in the future. Rīgas siltums plans to invest in biomass, electrification and heat accumulation projects. These investments are intended to reduce its reliance on natural gas and its exposure to energy price fluctuations.
The source does not say when the new tariff will be decided or what final level it will reach. For now, the company is speaking of a forecast that depends on how energy prices develop.
