Media: Romanian energy market, manipulated via variable pricing on energy trade platform

The local energy market has been manipulated in the past year via transactions on the energy trade platform OPCOM, for variable prices and quantities, according to the market regulator, quoted by Romanian newspaper Bursa. The regulator will introduce new trading rules starting 2015, which will no longer allow variable prices and quantities. However, market operators say the regulator is preventing the market from growing by asking for fixed prices and quantities, which will make it impossible to sign long-term contracts. The regulator has applied various fines this year for variable price and quantity contracts on OPCOM this year, and OPCOM itself was also sanctioned for the same reason. Romanian power exchange OPCOM and parent firm Transelectrica get EUR 1 mln European Commission fine editor@romania-insider.com