Gas consumers have at their disposal on the price comparator on the ANRE website many offers with prices much lower than those sent by large companies to their customers, said on Thursday the vice president of the National Energy Regulatory Authority (ANRE), Zoltan Nagy-Bege, in a specialized conference.

He explained why gas consumers now pay more than last year.

“Last year, when the regulated prices for household consumers on the natural gas market were abandoned, the market situation was favorable in terms of the evolution of prices on the wholesale markets. This was also beneficial for household retail prices in Romania, and on market were very advantageous offers and for home consumers it was possible to conclude contracts at prices well below those regulated, in force until June 30, 2020,” Nagy-Bege was quoted as saying by Agerpres.

Now, gas prices, both in Europe and in Romania, are very, very high and the increase has started since April.

“In March-early April, contracts could be concluded at prices of around 90 lei (per MWh – e.n.). Currently below 130 it is impossible, the price is somewhere between 130 and 140 lei. So the increase is significant, and the offers that are usually priced for a year should include purchases for the coming winter, even the first half of 2020 – it should not surprise anyone that they have this price increase “, added the ANRE official.

“If we look at the wholesale market, prices have started to rise, and the explanations can be found: the fact that CO2 prices have increased, which makes coal and gas energy more expensive, and, in addition, we have a shortage of production capacities,” said the vice-president of ANRE.