The National Regulatory Authority for Energy (ANRE) paid fines totaling one million lei to a number of 15 participants in the natural gas market as a result of imbalances that occurred at the end of February, according to ANRE.

“At the end of February this year, ANRE was notified of a state of imbalance in the operation of the natural gas transmission system (NTS), due to low temperatures and high gas consumption. Thus, ANRE completed 18 control actions on a number of 15 participants in the natural gas market, which aimed, on the one hand, at fulfilling the legal obligations of physical balancing of the NTS and, on the other hand, at fulfilling the legal obligations of guaranteeing the quantities of natural gas needed by consumers, according to the supply contracts in place”, ANRE officials say.

Preventing imbalances on the gas market (energynomics.ro Magazine)

As a result of the controls carried out, there were applied contravention sanctions for a number of 23 deeds, in a total amount of 1,050,000 lei.

“We also mention that the fines applied by ANRE to economic agents are entirely income to the state budget”, the press release says.

In the week between February 26 – March 4, 2018, temperatures dropped significantly lower compared to the previous period, and Romania imported up to a third of its daily natural gas consumption in order to get through the frosty period, when largest daily gas imports in the last five years were recorded.

Among the sanctioned companies were also the largest operators in the sector, namely OMV Petrom, Transgaz, Engie and E.ON, and the representatives of these companies told Agerpres that they would contest the fines as they considered they had not breeched any regulations.