Electricity, with 5% more expensive

Electricity is more expensive from July 1, on average by 5 per cent for all categories of consumers.

ANRE (National Regulatory Authority in Energy) contends that increases the price in order to adjust production costs, transport and distribution with the rate of inflation.

ANRE also motivates that it took into account the provisions of the agreement between Romania and the International Monetary Fund, recently approved by the IMF board, relating to regulated tariffs to consumers for household and non-household customers as of July 1.

ANRE also remembers one of the reasons of higher costs caused by certain provisions of Directive 2009/72/EC, which obliges Member States to take appropriate measures to protect electricity consumers, by imposing requirements on their information.

Regulated prices change is motivated by the need to support the predicted quantities of electricity to be produced from renewable sources by 2012, also supports ANRE.

Energy prices were unchanged for two and a half years.

Romania, a year ago, received two notifications, once the European Commission has found that in our country the prices for electricity and gas are regulated.

At the beginning of April 2011 the European Commission has formally requested our country to align its legislation with EU rules with respect to regulated energy prices.

Schedule of purchase electricity on the open market

--fb1ANRE has announced that for households, category that includes population, the percentage of getting out of the competitive market must rise from 10 per cent in July 2013, from 0 per cent at present to 20 per cent in January 2014, from 30 per cent in July 2014 and 40 per cent by January 2015.

The following steps of 10 points have been set for July 2015, January and July 2016, January and July 2017 to reach 100 percent in December 2017.

To industrial consumers the share acquisition on non competitive market is set at 15 per cent since September 2012 and must climb to 30 per cent in January 2013.

The percentage will reach 45 per cent in April 2013, 65 per cent in July 2013, 85 per cent in September 2013.

In January 2014 total quantity of electricity for industrial consumers will be purchased on the open market.

Translated by

Denisse-Meda Bucura

MTTLC, Bucharest University