Vilnius municipality and the energy market regulator warn population that prices for central heating in the Lithuanian capital city are expected to surge by 50 to 60% this heating season, Aistė Valiauskaitė, Augustinas Šemelis, LRT TV, LRT.lt.
The capital started central heating in schools and hospitals this week. Centrally-heated residential buildings may follow suit shortly, if cold weather persists, according to the city’s authorities. Central heating in Lithuania is turned on when average temperatures drop below 10 degrees three days in a row.
Soaring energy prices in global markets mean that Lithuanian households will have to pay more for heat. The biggest rise is expected in Vilnius, where, according to the city’s authorities, heating bills could soar by as much as 60 percent. The State Energy Regulation Service expects a 50-percent rise.
«We are dependent on gas prices which are breaking records in global markets,» says Vice Mayor Valdas Benkunskas.
Other Lithuanian cities and towns, which use more biofuel in their energy mix, will see more moderate rises. In Kaunas, heating bills could increase 5 percent; 16-percent rise is expected in Klaipėda, 14 percent in Panevėžys and 30 percent in Šiauliai.
The article originally appeared on LRT English: https://www.lrt.lt/en/news-in-english/19/1501846/amid-soaring-energy-prices-lithuanians-braced-for-heating-bill-shock
As Vilnius heating season starts, price increase by 50-60% expected
