Poles are not only highly aware of measures to support electricity consumers, but also consider them sufficient to protect household budgets, according to the latest opinion poll conducted by YOTTA.

YOTTA, in its latest opinion poll for the Polish Electricity Committee, asked Poles to what amount the state and energy companies should cover the difference between the cost of energy production and the price for households.

In response to this question, a total of 88% respondents indicated values lower than those covered by the government's current Solidarity Shield. Thanks to it, savings on electricity bills in 2023 for Polish households will amount to between PLN 3,000 and 4,000 this year. Meanwhile, almost one in four respondents (24%) indicated an amount less than PLN 1,000, one in three (34%) thought it should be between PLN 1,000 and 2,000 and 22% of those taking part in the survey indicated a ceiling between PLN 2,000 and 3,000. Only 12% of those surveyed indicated an amount higher than what Polish families are saving on their electricity bills this year thanks to the government's Solidarity Shield.

- The results of the survey show how important the support offered under the government's Solidarity Shield is for Polish families. It not only meets the needs of Poles and protects them from electricity price increases, but in some cases even exceeds them - the says Maciej Maciejowski of the Polish Electricity Committee.

Thanks to the mechanisms of the government's Solidarity Shield, net electricity prices have been frozen and have not increased year-on-year. At just over 40 cents per kilowatt hour or about 10 euro cents, they are among the lowest in Europe, as the EU average is about 25 euro cents. In Poland, about 60 per cent of the cost of energy prices is covered by a special Price Difference Payment Fund, which is financed by energy companies and the state budget.

- It is worth recalling that for all households the limit for freezing electricity prices at preferential rates has been set at 3 000 kWh per year, for people with disabilities it is 3600 kWh, and for families with a Large Family Card and farmers it is as much as 4000 kWh. This is considerably more than the average consumption of electricity, which is around 2 000 kWh per year in Polish homes - adds Maciej Maciejowski.

What's more, an additional bonus of a £125 discount on the electricity bill was introduced in September. Under it, energy retailers are obliged to give a one-off discount to all households that meet one of six conditions later this year.

- In order to receive an additional discount of £125, all you have to do is agree to receive electronic invoices or electronic communications about the products and services on offer. recalls Maciej Maciejowski. - We can also check and confirm the accuracy of our data with the energy retailer.

Other conditions that will enable us to reduce the bill by up to £125 include:

• a reduction of at least three consecutive months between January 2023 and September 2023 in electricity consumption of 5 per cent compared to the same period in 2022;
• production of renewable energy in a prosumer RES installation or
• making a declaration on increased consumption limits under the government's Solidarity Shield (applies to households with a Large Family Card, a person with a disability or farmers).

The amendment to the Electricity Consumer Protection Act 2023 not only increases the availability of cheap energy for households, but also reduces prices for businesses and public institutions. From 1 October 2023, the so-called maximum price that cannot be exceeded by an energy seller has fallen by approximately 12% - from PLN 785 to PLN 693 net per MWh. This means that people running their own businesses, e.g. garages, estate shops, will pay significantly lower electricity bills. The solution also applies to all local authorities and so-called sensitive entities, e.g. night shelters, social care homes or nurseries. Detailed information about the increased energy price freeze, ways to reduce energy consumption and the new discount can be found at www.liczysieenergia.pl. The website is an educational project of the Polish Electricity Committee. It aims to build and strengthen awareness of energy use and reduce electricity bills by rationalising consumption. Among other things, the website offers simple but effective tips to help you fit within your consumption limits.