Poland to offer households help with energy prices

The government said this month it would freeze energy prices for households in 2023 at this year's levels up to a certain limit of usage, as well as offer discounts for saving energy. The parliament is due to start discussing the bill on Wednesday.

Poland will spend 26.8 billion zlotys ($5.35 billion) on support for households as energy costs soar following Russia's invasion of Ukraine, the government said in the justification of a bill published on Wednesday. The government said this month it would freeze energy prices for households in 2023 at this year's levels up to a certain limit of usage, as well as offer discounts for saving energy.

The parliament is due to start discussing the bill on Wednesday. Most households would get a limit of 2,000 kWh per year, household with people with disabilities would get 2,600 kWh, while families with three or more children and farmers would be entitled to get up to 3,000 kWh of cheaper energy.

The government assumes freezing energy prices for households would cost up to 23 billion zlotys, a one-off payout to people using electricity for heating would amount to 1 billion zlotys and a discount for those saving energy would cost 2.8 billion, for a total of 26.8 billion, calculations attached to the bill showed. The move adds to a series of steps taken by the government such as tax breaks, fuel subsidies for households, and other measures.

Poland will also spend 17.4 billion zlotys between 2022 and 2024 to help energy intensive companies cope with surging gas and electricity prices, the government said this month. ($1 = 5.0092 zlotys)

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