MINSK, 25 May (BelTA) – MPs adopted the bill “On the regulation of relations in the use of renewable energy sources” after two readings at the eighth session of the House of Representatives of the National Assembly of Belarus of the the seventh convocation on 25 May, BelTA has learned.
The bill was submitted by the Council of Ministers on 19 May to execute the president's instruction. It is aimed at supporting the real sector of the economy and the population by curbing the growth of electricity tariffs through the reduction of the costs of power supply organizations, which are part of Belenergo, when purchasing electricity from renewable energy sources installations.
“The topic has been discussed for a long time. This discussion has always involved representatives of various departments and business sectors, as well as MPs. Laws regulating renewable energy have existed for many years, have been repeatedly changed and improved. A number of problematic and complex issues that have accumulated in this area have led to the need for another adjustment of regulatory approaches,” said Denis Karas, a member of the Standing Committee on Industry, Fuel and Energy Complex, Transport and Communication.
For these purposes, certain norms are envisaged that establish a different regulation compared to the norms of Law No.204-З “On renewable energy sources” of 27 December 2010. In particular, these norms include suspension of the application of increasing coefficients to the tariffs for electricity from renewable energy sources and its purchase at minimum incentive coefficients, the involvement of all renewable energy sources installations in the regulation of the daily schedule of coverage of the electrical load of the Belarusian energy system, supplementing the powers of the government in this area with the possibility to determine the procedure for setting up renewable energy sources installations (including their modernization and reconstruction) and the purchase of electricity from renewable energy sources by power providers.
The Ministry of Antimonopoly Regulation and Trade is set to establish coefficients applied in setting tariffs for electricity produced by renewable energy sources installations, which may be differentiated depending on the type of renewable energy source, electric capacity, the actual service life of equipment, and other parameters of installations.
In the course of bringing legislative acts in compliance with the Constitution, measures will be taken for comprehensive revision of legislative norms regulating relations in the use of renewable energy sources.
“Green energy in Belarus will undoubtedly continue to develop and improve, taking into account new technological solutions and successful experience of other countries. At the same time we should be strictly aware that the main goal should remain the stability and reliability of the Belarusian energy system. Uninterrupted power supply to consumers, curbing the growth of energy tariffs, effective integration of the BelNPP make an integral part of the energy security of our country,” the MP added.
