Romania’s market regulator cuts natural gas price for residential users by 5%

Romania’s energy market regulator ANRE approved on June 24 new prices for the regulated supply of natural gas to household customers, to be enforced starting July 1.

According to ANRE, the regulated gas supply prices for more than 3 million households with an annual consumption of less than 280 MWh, calculated according to the methodologies in force, will decrease by more than 5%, Hotnews.roreported. The household clients served by EON Gaz (northern part of the country) will have their prices cut by 3.7%, while those of Engie Romania (southern part of the country) will have their price cut by 7.9%.

The reduction is the result of the controversial emergency ordinance (OUG) 114/2018, which sets the prices of gas supplied by producers for a period of three years. However, cheaper gas for household consumers could lead to higher rates for industrial ones.

The European Commission considers that capping the gas price paid by households to RON 68 per MWh (plus transport and distribution fees, plus VAT), under OUG 114/2018, does not comply with the requirements of the European Gas Directive and therefore violates EU law.

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