Gas distributors in Romania will be obliged to connect any consumer to the gas distribution network within 60 days from the date when the building permit for this operation is issued.

Not meeting this deadline will result in financial penalties for the distributors, the energy sector regulator ANRE decided on Wednesday, March 21, according to local Profit.ro.

The distributors who miss this deadline will be forced to pay a one-off compensation of RON 100 and an extra RON 20 for each day of delay, starting the 61st day after the building permit was issued. There will be an exception to this rule, however, when the building permit is issued during winter months (December to February). The deadline for finalizing the connection in this case will be 120 days.

Distributors will also have to answer any gas connection request from consumers within ten days since receiving it, otherwise they will also have to pay penalties.

This decision is important because connecting to the gas grid is one of the lengthiest and most bureaucratic procedures in Romania and can take even over a year.

editor@romania-insider.com