Electricity consumers face costlier electricity bills as tariffs now include an increased network usage charge, as of July with retroactive effect from May 1.

Authorities are also planning to soon increase public service compensation (YKO) surcharges, which will further increase regulated charges included in electricity bills.

Given the adoption of a new formula charging consumers mainly on the basis of the capacity of their installations and less on consumption levels, as well as the increased network usage charges, household consumers with three-phase installations are subject to higher charges than households with single-phase installations.

Households with single-phase installations, covering capacities up to 8 kVA, and electricity consumption levels averaging 2,747.3 KW, annually, the country’s average, can expect annual network usage charges of 74.35 euros, up from 62.68 euros, the level until April 31, a 19 percent increase. On a monthly basis, this increase works out to an additional 0.9725 euros for households with single-phase installations.

Households with three-phase installations, covering capacities up to 25 kVA, and, once again, electricity consumption levels averaging 2,747.3 KW, annually, can expect annual network usage charges of 149.72 euros, up from 71.52 euros, an extra 6.5166 euros per month.

Three-phase installations are most common in new homes, homes installed with heat pumps, electric heating and other systems for which single-phase supply does not suffice, as well as low and medium-voltage enterprises.