Because of the change in pricing tariffs, electricity bills for some Croatian households might soar by as much as 1,000 kuna (133 euros), consumer protection groups warned on Tuesday (March 20).

According to new regulations introduced in March by the Croatian Energy Regulatory Agency (HERA), households with up to 30 kilowatt-hour (kWh) consumption would be switched to a more expensive tariff, Dnevnik.hr reported.

HERA said the most affected by the change would be owners of tourist apartments and people with high-power electric boilers, and added that households could fight increased prices by installing limiters, devices used to limit power consumption.

Consumer protection groups disagree, saying that 20 kWh consumption can be easily exceeded by turning on a few home appliances at the same time. And in more extreme cases, the new model, expected to affect some 13,000 households, could mean an eye-watering 1,000 kuna bump in bills, Dnevnik.hr said.