The regulated price of gas could increase by about 9-10% from April 1, 2020, if the liberalization calendar that the Romanian authorities prepare, according to sources in the energy sector, will enter into force.

The new liberalization calendar agreed by the Romanian authorities and the European Commission provides that the gas market will be fully liberalized on April 1, 2021, but between April 1, 2020 and March 31, 2021, there will be a transitional period, according to Agerpres.

During this transitional period, 50% of the domestic consumers’ needs and of the thermal power plants will be insured in a regulated regime, at the ceiling price of 68 lei per MWh, and 50% of the gas will be purchased from the free market. “If this ‘gas release’ is applied, from April 1, 2020, there will be an increase of 9-10%, at prices that are now on the stock market,” say sources in the energy sector.

Romania has as deadline December 26 to take over into legislation the new calendar for gas market liberalization. This comes after, following an infringement procedure, as a result of GEO 114/2018, our country received a three-month pass from Brussels before being sent to the European Court of Justice.