The representatives rejected the choice of electricity supplier, Prague will find a new way of purchasing
Update: 16/12/2022 01:31
Issued by: 16/12/2022, 01:31
Prague – Today, the representatives of Prague did not approve the selection of an electricity supplier for the capital city and its contributory organizations next year. Some representatives did not like the method of selecting the supplier, which should have been Pražská energetika (PRE). The material by which the supplier was approved was not supported by the majority of representatives. The city management will therefore prepare the material with which it will supply energy so that the institutions do not end up in the mode of supplier of last resort. PRE won the tender with a price of 510 million crowns. The capital city’s current contract with PRE is valid until the end of the year.
“We plan to prepare a press release for the council on Monday due to the fact that only one applicant has applied, so we will end this procedure for legal reasons. However, the city as such is prepared to ensure at least a bridging period so that in any case they are not threatened by price increases or electricity outages Individual institutions, with the fact that all prices will be subject to state ceilings,” said municipality spokesman Vít Hofman.
The purchase was criticized by some representatives who, for example, were bothered by the margin for PRE. At the same time, they criticized the process of selecting a supplier by the city contribution organization Prague Community of Renewable Energy (PSOE). According to representative Ondřej Prokop (ANO), for example, the conditions for the city are disadvantageous for the city. In the end, the material presented by the city councilors was not supported by enough representatives.
The intention to tender for an electricity supplier was approved by city councilors this September. At that time, due to high energy prices, the estimated price of the tender was set at approximately 1.32 billion crowns. In October, the government decided on the maximum consumption of electricity, which is why it is a multiple. Out of the originally tendered amount, 150 million crowns are allocated to electricity collection points managed by the municipality and 360 million crowns to subsidized organizations. The amount is an estimate, as the final price will be subject to purchase on the stock exchange.
In connection with the energy crisis, the municipality has prepared cost-saving measures, whereby the heating is set to fewer degrees. Councilors have already approved a tender for the construction of a water feeder from the Vltava, which should be heated directly in the New Town Hall building with the help of heat pumps. The city has also instructed its organizations to try to make quick savings, for example by reducing or replacing older appliances. In the case of public lighting, the municipality is gradually investing in the replacement of sodium discharge lamps with significantly more economical LED variants. Night lighting was also limited this year.