The Governing Council authorizes the expenditure of 43 million for the new supply contract, compared to the 18.8 that the previous one cost
The irrepressible rise in the price of electricity will mean a huge extra cost to the Murcian Health Service (SMS), according to the new contract approved yesterday by the Governing Council at its weekly meeting in the Palace of San Esteban.
The previous contract to guarantee the electricity supply to all centers dependent on the SMS amounted to 18.8 million euros. However, the proposal presented yesterday at the table of the Governing Council by the Ministry of Health for the new contract, and which received the approval of the Executive, has a base bidding budget of 43,016,781 euros for an execution period of a year, which represents a cost increase of 128.7% in just twelve months, as explained by the Minister of Business and Employment and Government spokesman, Valle Miguélez.
This significant increase in the electricity bill for SMS is even more painful for public health managers as it occurs in a context of reduced energy consumption. Specifically, the total energy consumption of the SMS in the current year has decreased by 3% compared to the same period last year.
The objective of the new contract, explained the Minister Miguélez, is to guarantee the operation of the various electrical and energy devices installed in hospitals and centers attached to the SMS, such as air conditioning, lighting and computer equipment, among others. The supply will be made for a period of one year, extendable for one more.
“Serious situation”
The Government spokesperson indicated that the rise in the electricity bill “is a consequence of the regulatory changes due to the new regulations, the factors inherent to electricity production and the increase in the cost of CO2 emission rights.”
Last September, the Ministry of Health took this contract to the Governing Council for the first time but it was not awarded because the amount budgeted at the time, which amounted to 24.8 million, was very low.
The Minister of Enterprise declared that the exorbitant increase in the cost that the SMS must assume for electric power gives an idea of the “serious situation” faced by both public administrations and citizens and companies in the face of the “wild rise” of the price of light.
Miguélez regretted “the loss of competitiveness” that this problem generates for companies and demanded that the central government adopt “structural and courageous measures” and not “simple patches.”
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