Bogdan Tudorache

As of October 15, 2020, the suppliers had 2.78 billion cubic meters of gas in the underground natural gas storage depots, the storage obligation being fulfilled in a proportion of 141%, ANRE announces.

The minimum natural gas stock at national level for the holders of supply licenses that ensure the supply of natural gas to the final customers, for the storage cycle 2020-2021, has been set at a level of 1.9 billion cubic meters of gas.

Starting with July 27, 2020, with the entry into force of Law no. 155/2020 for the amendment and completion of the Law on electricity and natural gas no. 123/2012 and on amending and supplementing other normative acts, the legal basis on which ANRE issued Order 35/2016 on the obligation of suppliers to constitute the minimum stock in accordance with the regulations issued by ANRE has been replaced by their obligation to constitute a “minimum stock of natural gas at the level necessary to ensure continuity in the supply of natural gas to customers and the affordability of the price, in accordance with the legal provisions in force.”

At the same time, in accordance with the legal provisions, the natural gas supplier has the obligation “to ensure the coverage of consumption for its customers” and “to purchase the natural gas it supplies to household customers, while minimizing the cost of allocated resources.”

In view of these obligations, the supplier is responsible for ensuring the sources of natural gas from current domestic production, storage and import and failure to ensure the obligation to ensure the quantities of natural gas needed to ensure the consumption of customers is punishable by a fine of 5% to 10% of the annual turnover.