About 80% of Brussels Families May Struggle With Paying Energy Bills - Social Services

BRUSSELS (Sputnik) - Celine Nieuwenhuys, secretary general of the Belgian federation of social services, said on Friday that 80% of households in Brussels may have trouble paying their energy bills.

"Brussels suppliers expect that 80% of Brussels households will have difficulty paying their bills," Nieuwenhuys said, as quoted by the Belgian broadcaster RTBF, adding that increased energy prices put pressure on social services.

Nieuwenhuys’s biggest concern is that with the upcoming winter, public discontent will only intensify, according to the report.

Belgium is one of the EU countries where the average price of electricity rose over 700 euros ($697) per megawatt-hour in August, according to the Nord Pool power exchange's data.

The federal authorities will reportedly save energy through a number of measures. In particular, the temperature in state institutions during the cold period will be reduced to 19 degrees Celsius (66.2 degrees Fahrenheit). The lighting of federal buildings and monuments will be switched off from 07:00 p.m. until 06:00 a.m. The Belgian southern province of Wallonia will consider suspending expressway lighting to save energy.