The scenarios currently analyzed regarding the liberalization of the energy market provide that it will be done in stages, with the protection of all consumers and is not limited to April 1, 2025, specify the representatives of the Ministry of Energy, in a press release.
“According to the government program and the action plan established at the level of the Ministry of Energy, there is currently no decision to eliminate the ceilings on electricity and natural gas starting with April 1, 2025. The government program provides for “the development of a mechanism regarding deregulation based on a phased calendar, with consumer protection and ensuring a solid, predictable competitive climate, for affordable prices for electricity and natural gas”. The scenarios currently analyzed by the Interministerial Group created in November 2024 by decision of the Prime Minister of Romania 380/2024 provide very clearly that liberalization will be phased, with the protection of all consumers and is not limited to April 1, 2025 or to vulnerable consumers,” the press release states, according to Agerpres.
According to the cited source, the work scenarios take into account the implementation of mechanisms already tested by the Romanian state, such as support cards (for example, the energy card, the food card, the holiday card), but adjustments or measures that will be identified during the working meetings of the Interministerial Group are not excluded.
“We have set ourselves the goal of identifying the best solutions for the period after April 1, 2025, by the end of January. The objective of the Minister of Energy, also having the quality of vice-president of the interministerial committee for protecting vulnerable consumers and combating energy poverty, is that after April 1, 2025, and here we refer to all categories of consumers, energy prices are fair and do not come as a burden on their budgets,” the mentioned source specifies.
Energy Minister Sebastian Burduja stated on Friday, on Digi24, that there are several scenarios, one of which is the continuation, for a period, of the capping-compensation scheme, for everyone.
“And we have arguments. It is a known market scheme, we have instability on the regional market. This is what happened since January 1st with the stopping of Russian gas transit and the increase in gas prices on the stock exchanges. There are arguments and I believe that the European Commission will also be open to such an idea,” explained Burduja.
He reiterated that a final calendar proposal will have to be presented this month and emphasized that the Government Program talks about a phased, prudent liberalization, in which, on the one hand, the end consumer is protected and, on the other hand, liquidity on the market is ensured, so that there is energy for sale.