VILNIUS, Feb. 10 (Xinhua) -- Heating costs for residents in Vilnius, Lithuania's capital, rose by an average of about 60 percent in January compared with the same month last year, driven by severe cold weather and the removal of a reduced value-added tax (VAT) rate, the Baltic News Service (BNS) reported on Tuesday.
Lithuania's largest district heating supplier, Miesto gijos, said the average January heating bill for a 50-square-meter apartment, including 21 percent VAT, amounted to 62 euros (73.78 U.S. dollars) in an energy-efficient apartment block, 99 euros in a renovated building, and 160 euros in an older, energy-inefficient building.
Total heat consumption in Vilnius increased by 52 percent year-on-year in January, according to Monika Merkyte, head of the communications team at Miesto gijos.
Miesto gijos said differences in heating bills across apartment blocks are largely determined by energy performance, noting that residents in older, poorly maintained buildings pay at least 40 percent more for heating.
Lithuania's parliament last year abolished the 9 percent VAT concession for district heating, hot water and firewood, a move that alone increased heating prices by around 12 percent from January. (1 euro = 1.19 U.S. dollars)
