Skopje, 29 July 2022 (MIA) – Price of heating will increase by 14.18 percent as of August 1, the Energy Regulatory Commission (ERC) decided on Friday. “The whole of Europe and the region are facing serious problems in the energy sector due to high energy prices and reduced gas quantities imported from Russia. We use imported gas for heating energy, which price is higher ten-fold compared to July 2021. Companies that supply heating energy wanted an increase of up to 78 percent, but it will amount to only 14.18 percent, which is owed to the significant subsidizing of the price by the Government,” said ERC President Marko Bislimoski. Company TE-TO is expected to provide 70 percent of the heating energy, while the remaining 30 percent will be secured by heating plants. “If it is impossible to import the required gas quantities for heating production in TE-TO and heating plants, then the energy will be produced in plants by using crude oil, which is not favorable from an environmental standpoint but also risky due to the potential threat of not securing the required crude oil quantities,” said Bislimoski. He urged all consumers, primarily central and local institutions, to follow the EU recommendations for savings and heating reduction during the winter season. “One degree less ensures energy savings of about five percent,” added Bislimoski.