This initiative is aimed at supporting households with lower incomes and providing financial relief in energy costs for various sectors.
The proposed energy voucher will be available at maximum value to households with an income not exceeding PLN 2,500 (around EUR 580, USD 630) per month for single-person households or PLN 1,700 (around EUR 395, USD 430) per person in multi-person households.
It will have a sliding scale in proportion to income, which means that even if a household exceeds the minimum threshold, they can still receive the voucher, but its value will be reduced proportionally.
Municipalities will be responsible for processing and reviewing applications for energy vouchers, disbursing the benefits, and handling related reporting.
The government will provide a 2-percent administrative fee based on the value of the disbursed vouchers to cover the municipalities' costs for this task.
The draft law also extends the maximum price cap on electricity for households to PLN 500 (around USD 125) per megawatt-hour (MWh) in the second half of 2024.
Additionally, it maintains the maximum price of PLN 693 (around USD 175) per MWh for local government entities, public utility organizations such as schools and hospitals, and small and medium-sized enterprises.
In addition to the energy voucher, the draft law includes provisions to increase the energy consumption limits for households to qualify for reduced tariffs, enhancing support for larger families and individuals with disabilities.
The government also encourages energy savings, offering an additional discount for households that reduce their energy usage.
(rt/gs)
Source: IAR, PAP