According to the Committee for the Regulation of Natural Monopolies, residents of Astana raised concerns about inflated heating bills reflected in their February invoices for January. The heating services in the capital are provided by the natural monopoly entity Astanaenergosbyt LLP.
Following complaints, the Committee conducted an unscheduled inspection of Astanaenergosbyt LLP, which revealed violations of Kazakhstan's legislation on natural monopolies, specifically regarding the consumption norms for heating services for consumers without metering devices. This led to unjustified heating charges.
As a result of the law violations, Astanaenergosbyt LLP faced administrative penalties, including a fine amounting to 10% of the income generated from the offense. Additionally, a directive was issued for the recalculation and refund of the unjustified revenue, totaling 209,365 tenge.
The Committee clarified that the determination of the heating supply fee is regulated by legislation in the field of natural monopolies. The monopoly entity is obliged to provide a regulated service at an approved tariff. In the absence of a communal metering device, the fee is calculated based on consumption norms established by local authorities, with a tariff 20% higher than that for consumers with metering devices.
Furthermore, the amount of heat consumption and payment is directly linked to the outdoor temperature. The payment for heating energy varies monthly based on weather conditions; lower external temperatures result in increased heat consumption.
For any discrepancies in meter readings or heating charges, residents are advised to contact Astanaenergosbyt LLP for clarification. In case of rights violations, they can address the Department of the Committee for the Regulation of Natural Monopolies at 5 Petrova Street or through the unified citizens' complaint platform "e-Otinish."
