Lithuanian electricity prices on the rise

VILNIUS 's The price ofelectricity in Lithuaniais set to increase by 7 centas (2 euro cents) to 0.4 litas per kilowatt-hour,resulting in a price increase for commercial consumers of 5.3 and 6.5 centas,including VAT.

The management boards of VST and RST set the new prices, which do notinclude VAT, on Friday, the companies said.

The prices are yet to be approved by the National Commission for Prices andEnergy, which is to announce final prices to consumers in late November.

"The upper price limits would allow increasing the electricitydistribution price by 5 centas, but the companies (RST and VST) agree to a riseof 0.9-1 centas," Virgilijus Poderys, the chairman of the commission, toldreporters.

"If the distribution price rose by 1 centas, then the overall increasewould be 5.5 centas per kWh. The total price for a household should be around33.5 centas per kWh, plus the value added tax," he said.

VST, the operator of the western half of the national distribution grid, isset to increase the price for households by 5.93 centas per kWh, and the pricefor commercial consumers, by 4.5 centas. Rytu Skirstomieji Tinklai (RST), theoperator of the eastern half, intends to increase its prices by 5.93 and 5.5centas, respectively.