Romania's energy market regulator wants early gas market liberalization

Romania’s Regulatory Authority for Energy (ANRE) considers that the moment is good for full liberalization of natural gas prices for household consumers, according to ANRE president Niculae Havrilet. He said he asked the Energy Ministry to cancel the 10% price increase for natural gas from the domestic production, which is scheduled for July 1, according to the gas price liberalization calendar, reports local Hotnews.ro. This calendar aimed to take domestic gas prices for household users to the same level as import gas prices, by 2018. However, the price of domestic gas delivered to households is already very close to the price of import gas, as the international gas prices have fallen. If the state continues to increase the regulated gas price, then this will become higher than the price of gas sold on the free market, according to ANRE. This would be absurd, as the regulated gas prices should help household consumers. However, the Government hasn’t answered to ANRE’s proposal to eliminate the regulated gas prices yet. editor@romania-insider.com