Natural gas transmission and distribution operators will make total investments of over 1.6 billion lei for 2021, according to a statement from the National Energy Regulatory Authority (ANRE).

“In order to fulfill their obligations in accordance with the legal provisions, the transmission and system operator and the natural gas distribution operators submitted, and ANRE approved, the annual investment plans for 2021 in a total amount of 1.3 billion lei, which include works aimed at improving the indicators of service performance, safety in operation, energy efficiency of systems, as well as reducing operating and maintenance costs,” the statement reads.

“Considering the new legal obligations, for the year 2021, the operators have provided in addition to the annual investment plan initially drawn up amounts for the extension and connection works in total value, until this date, of over 365 million lei, which represents an additional 26% of the annual investment effort.”

Thus, Transgaz plans to invest 825 million lei in the network and an additional 13 million in connections and extensions.

In the case of Delgaz Grid, it is about 198 million lei investment plan and 72 million lei additional investments. Whilst E.ON has planned 226 million lei and 238 million lei additional investments, according to Agerpres.

In addition, for the development of natural gas distribution systems on the national territory, by Emergency Ordinance no. 128/2020 approved by Law no. 214/2020, the National Program for connecting the population and non-household customers to the intelligent natural gas distribution system was established, in a total amount of about 3.872 billion lei for the programming period 2021-2027, which can be accessed by the administrative-territorial units individually or in partnership, as well as by inter-community development associations, for the establishment/ extension/ transformation of intelligent natural gas distribution networks for the connection of household and non-household customers.