Romania is in the top half of the European ranking in terms of energy prices relative to purchasing power. However, the situation is becoming alarming from the perspective of vulnerable consumers, who, according to data at the end of 2023, are facing difficulties in paying their bills. Thus, 15 per cent of urban households and 23 per cent of rural households were late in paying their energy bills, said Alexandru Ciocan, Senior Researcher at Energy Policy Group (EPG).
“With the lifting of the price cap, there will be a significant impact on consumers’ final bills. According to the data presented by ANRE, there are 7.2 million households in Romania that consume less than 2.5 MWh of energy per year or less than 208 kWh per month. For them, the Ministry of Energy needs to carry out an analysis and propose a series of targeted measures to support them, because if we help everyone, as is currently the case, we are not actually helping anyone, as the impact is different depending on the income of each household”, Ciocan said at the “Energy Day” conference organised by Energynomics within the Green Energy Expo & Romenvirotec 2025.
Another finding of the EPG concerns the impact of utility costs on households, a factor clearly influenced by the education level of the household head. At the national level, utility costs account, on average, for 15 per cent of total household expenditure. In contrast, for people with a primary education, this rises to 30 per cent, while households with high-school graduates allocate about 20 per cent of their income to utilities.
The energy prices, calculated by EPG at the end of 2023, reached 1,100-1,200 lei per MWh, significantly higher than the capped values (680 lei/MWh and 800 lei/MWh). Once the price cap is lifted, consumers will feel a significant impact on their bills, given that most households in Romania consume less than 2.5 MWh per year (or less than 208 kWh per month), according to ANRE data.
Ciocan added that it is necessary for the Energy Ministry to undertake a detailed analysis and implement targeted measures to support these consumers, given the significant differences in impact depending on the income of each household. EPG also recommends further investment in renewable energy infrastructure, as it could contribute to lower energy costs in the long term.
As for gas prices, Ciocan expects a moderate increase from 310 lei per MWh to 331 lei per MWh, once the price cap is lifted. Finally, the solutions proposed by EPG include making consumption more efficient, educating and empowering consumers, and supporting investments in renewable energy infrastructure to ease the financial burden on vulnerable consumers.
The conference „Energy Day at Green Energy Expo & Romenvirotec” was organized by Energynomics, with the support of our partners Elektra Renewable Support, LONGi, SolaX Power and with the involvement of HENRO, COGEN România, CIGRE România and FEL România.