Electricity and gas retailers fear even tougher financial times in August as the government’s increasing levels of energy subsidy support offered to consumers to offset rising wholesale energy prices and keep energy bills serviceable will force suppliers to use greater amounts of company capital for the effort, company officials have told energypress.

Energy suppliers need to commit company capital for customer subsidies in accordance with subsidy support packages announced by the energy ministry before they are reimbursed about a month later via the Energy Transition Fund, once DAPEEP, the RES market operator, has cleared related amounts.

The one-month period elapsing from the time suppliers cover subsidies, at their own cost, to their eventual reimbursement is pushing suppliers to their financial limits.

It should be pointed out, energy suppliers have yet to be reimbursed for subsidies they paid for in June, concerning consumption in May.