COMBATING ENERGY POVERTY IN THE CENTRALIZED HEATING SYSTEM (SEIC) BY LOCAL PUBLIC POLICIES - A CHANCE FOR VULNERABLE CONSUMERS

According to the EU Energy Poverty Observatory, at present, more than 50 million households in the European Union are experiencing energy poverty as a distinct form of poverty. Energy poverty stems from people’s poor access to energy resources and modern means of ensuring comfort in dwellings. In modern times, a decent standard of living and citizens' health have become criteria measuring the level of energy poverty in a society. The level of essential services such as adequate warmth, cooling, lighting and the energy to power appliances could provide a complete and comprehensive picture of energy poverty, thus having an indirect effect on many policy areas such as health, environment and productivity