The natural gas distribution network operators in Romania can't handle, neither financially nor operationally, the large number of connection requests filed by households, Hotnews.ro reported.

The requests came after a new regulation passed by the energy market regulator ANRE granting the right to free connection of residential users within a radius of 2km from existing networks.

Minister of energy Virgil Popescu met representatives of the gas distributors' association to discuss the situation.

The existing regulation allows customers to pay from their pockets the connection cost and then hire their own contractor, then recover the costs from the gas distributor within five years. All end-users will share the costs of the works under the new regulations.

This measure has also generated criticism from the consumers already connected to the gas grids, who sometimes paid high prices for their connection.

The new regulation is part of the Government's plan to increase the gasification ratio in Romania, ahead of the increase in the domestic gas production once the offshore perimeters enter the production stage.

(Photo: Siabud Verparasiaan/ Dreamstime)

andrei@romania-insider.com