RO natural gas market fully liberalized as of April 2021

The regulated natural gas prices for residential users will be phased out within one year and a half, but the price regulations will be replaced with mandatory requirements for suppliers and producers to trade the gas on the local market transparently, according to the market liberalization calendar sketched by local energy market regulator ANRE, B1.ro reported.

The residential consumers will be supplied with domestic natural gas at regulated prices under existing arrangements (emergency ordinance 114/2018) until March 31, 2020, then the share of gas at regulated price will be reduced to 50% in a transitory stage until March 31, 2021.

Finally, the residential consumers will be supplied with natural gas purchased by the suppliers from the market as of April 202, when the market will be fully liberalized.

However, the suppliers and producers will be compelled to buy at least 50% of their supply and sell 40% of their production respectively on the local gas exchange.

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