Latvia heating tariffs may rise by 5-15% this season

Latvia's Climate and Energy Minister, Jānis Vitenbergs, has stated that thermal energy tariffs could increase by an average of 5% to 15% during the upcoming heating season. While most increases are expected to fall within this range, significant hikes may occur in certain municipalities. Currently, prices from the approximately 60 companies providing centralized heating vary from 60 EUR per megawatt-hour (MWh) to as high as 150 EUR.

To mitigate the impact on citizens, the Ministry of Climate and Energy is proposing to expand the scope of housing benefits. The plan includes allocating up to 10 million EUR to support low-income families, families with children, and seniors. This expansion could allow an additional 28,000 to 38,000 households to qualify for assistance, potentially increasing monthly support by 40 to 70 EUR per household member. Additionally, the ministry has suggested increasing state co-financing for municipalities to 50% to reduce the burden on local budgets.