Natural gas ‘good news’ before the election: How will it be reflected on the bills?

Due to the economic policies of the AKP government, inflation reached its peak in the last 24 years, even in the data of the Turkish Statistical Institute (TUIK). The government preferred to take the bill of inflation from the public. In 2022, electricity was increased by 184 percent and natural gas by 164 percent.

While the citizens spent the cold winter months when they could not pay their natural gas bills, the AKP’s President Recep Tayyip Erdogan It took action again, less than a month before the election, due to the Black Sea gas being put into use in residences at Filyos Natural Gas Processing Facility yesterday. Erdogan announced that the cost of natural gas required for kitchen and hot water consumption, which corresponds to 25 cubic meters, will be deducted from the bills for 1 year.

BOTAŞ DEFERRED ITS DEBT

On the other hand, in January, it was revealed that Russia’s Pipelines and Petroleum Transport Corporation (BOTAŞ) postponed its natural gas debt of 20 billion dollars. In the 2022 budget, capital expenditures and lending amounts were much lower than they should have been. This was due to the postponement of BOTAŞ’ $20 billion debt to Russia by Russia.

However, the increase in natural gas in the last year was 164 percent. The government, which postponed the payment of Russian gas until after the election, was collecting the usage fees from the people until now. But now, according to Erdogan’s statement, the state will cover 25 cubic meters of natural gas used in households. The cost of this natural gas corresponds to an average of 120 liras. It is equivalent to 1440 liras per year.

When we consider the increase of 164 percent last year as 1440 liras, it is calculated that the invoice before the hike was 878 liras and this bill is currently 878+1440 liras, which corresponds to 2 thousand 318 liras.

In other words, a person who pays 2 thousand 318 liras to the natural gas bill in 1 year today will not only pay the hikes made last year after the 25 cubic meters of aid announced. Those who pay natural gas bills above these bills, for example, who paid 8,780 liras last year, will receive a discount of only 10 percent of the amount corresponding to the increase made in the last year after similar consumption.