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Department of Energy and the National Energy Regulatory Authority (ANRE) study the possibility of delaying with at least one year the calendar for liberalization of gas prices for companies. The Department received several requests from private companies to postpone the liberalization of prices for industrial consumers, says a press release of the institution.
“The Department of Energy has received a request to initiate an amendment of legislation from the National Energy Regulatory Authority (ANRE) also from a number of private operators to delay with at least one year the price liberalization for CHP plants that produce heat for households and to assimilate these to households, in terms of tariffs”, says the press release of the institution.
“The Department of Energy examines these requests and, in turn, asked today ANRE, the institution that monitors Romania’s gas market, additional data to demonstrate the need for postponement of liberalization. The Department of Energy considers that a partial or a total delay of liberalization for industrial consumers (including CHPs) requires prior approval from the European Commission”, the release reads.
However, the prices paid by households for domestic natural gas will remain unchanged from 1 January 2015, comparing to present levels. From 1 January 2015, the natural gas market for industrial consumers should have been liberalized 100%, which would have led to a generalized price increase in the economy.
