The price of natural gas for the final consumer will be stable for one year, until April 2027, regardless of international fluctuations, announced on Thursday, at the end of the Government meeting, the Minister of Energy, Bogdan Ivan.
"We are talking about a measure taken for the first time by a country in the European Union, namely the provision of a transitional measure for one year. In the context of the conflict in the Middle East, in the context in which we find ourselves in order to liberalize the natural gas market in Romania and to avoid a negative impact on household consumers, we are in a situation where, today, the Romanian Government has adopted a measure by which the price to the final consumer in terms of natural gas will be stable for one year, until April 2027, regardless of international fluctuations, which have shown, in the last five days, that, on average, prices have increased by almost 70% in terms of natural gas. Given this, an extremely clear economic mechanism has been established in today's Ordinance by which, at the producer level, we have a maximum starting price of 110 lei per megawatt, less than the price that was capped at 120 lei. We have a regulated price at the transporter, 15 lei, a regulated price at the distribution, maximum 69 lei per megawatt, and a maximum mark-up margin of 15 lei at the supplier," Ivan explained.
The dignitary also mentioned that the three natural gas producing companies in Romania are to notify Transgaz, the suppliers, to transmit the available gas offers and the gas capacities available to the suppliers.
"Regardless of what happens, Romania has taken a courageous measure, it has taken a rapid measure, which limits the impact on the budget of every Romanian who pays natural gas bills for the next year. Once this Emergency Ordinance enters into force and its publication in the Official Gazette, the three natural gas producing companies in Romania must notify Transgaz, notify suppliers, transmit available gas offers and available gas capacities for suppliers, and suppliers will then enter the market based on this Ordinance," the official said.
According to him, the notifications sent by suppliers to household consumers, with offers that exceeded the price of 0.31 lei/kWh, are no longer valid once the new Emergency Ordinance is adopted.
"That notification is no longer valid, in the context in which this Emergency Ordinance of the Government of Romania is being adopted. Therefore, people do not have to do anything at all, they do not have to make notifications, change anything, but simply wait and, when the bills arrive, pay. All bills, starting with April 1, will come at this regulated price that will not exceed 0.31 lei per kilowatt, that is, the price capped today. It is a measure that protects people, that protects the income of every Romanian and that has shown the courage of the Romanian Government so that Romanians are protected in this period of international uncertainty. The first country in the world to take this decision is Romania (...) I found a compromise formula. I do not think I am very sympathetic, in the conditions in which this measure reduces companies' income and automatically companies' profits, "but there are times when the state must be extremely cautious and must pursue the interests of the many," said Bogdan Ivan.
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