Beginning
\non 1st July, the domestic gas market in Romania has been completely
\nliberalised, something that should normally lead to an increase in competition
\nand a decrease in prices. Household users are yet to feel these benefits, given
\nthat the big suppliers haven’t changed their offers, notes the Romanian news
\nagency Agerpres in its analysis of this market. Theoretically, Romanian clients
\nhave had the possibility to change their gas supplier ever since 2007 but very
\nfew have done so because there has been a minimum regulated price established
\nby the Romanian Energy Regulatory Authority. This system no longer exists as of
\n1st July, and household users can now survey the market and choose
\nthe best offer. <\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
\n
\n
\n
<\/p>\n
Agerpres
\nwarns, however, that the liberalisation comes at a time when the energy supply
\nmarket is in effect divided among very few suppliers, with two companies supplying
\n90% of household users. These companies have sent their users offers that
\ncontained the same price as before and, unless they receive an answer, the
\noffers in question apply automatically. The authorities are saying, however,
\nthat tariffs for the population should decrease, because the gas intended for
\ndelivery in the second part of the year is traded at lower prices on the stock
\nexchange markets. <\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
\n
\n
\n
<\/p>\n
A week
\nago, the Romanian energy minister Virgil Popescu said the population should pay
\n10-15% less after liberalisation. He also said he was slightly disappointed with
\nthe response from suppliers, especially the big companies who hold a very big
\nshare of the market, who, he says, have tried to take advantage of the fact
\nthat Romanians are averse to change and perhaps not very well-informed. The minister
\nwarns that if the big suppliers do not lower their prices, the competition law
\nin force allows the government to intervene on the market for a period of six
\nmonths. <\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
\n
\n
\n
<\/p>\n
The
\nrepresentatives of the Romanian Energy Regulatory Authority also admit that it
\nwill take some time for users to feel the effects of the liberalisation on
\ntheir budgets. The liberalisation will have positive effects for household
\nusers, even if not exactly starting tomorrow, on this market dominated by a
\nsmall circle of providers, said Zoltan Nagy-Bege, the vice-president of this regulatory
\nbody. It remains to be seen what happens next considering that more than a half
\nof people in Romania haven’t even heard about the liberalisation of the gas
\nmarket, according to an opinion poll published recently. <\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
\n
\n
\n
<\/p>\n
Moreover,
\na gas supplier from the domestic market has poured cold water on the
\nauthorities’ enthusiasm, saying there aren’t big amounts of gas available on
\nthe market at reasonable prices and for the long term for the population’s gas
\nbills to decrease as of 1st July. This statement was described by
\nthe energy minister Virgil Popescu as somewhat arrogant. Certain providers are
\nabusing their dominant position and refuse to lower their prices for end
\nconsumers although they are buying gas from producers at much lower prices, the
\nminister explained. <\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
\n
\n
\n
<\/p>\n
The
\nelectricity market will also be fully liberalised in Romania starting next
\nyear. (CM)<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
The gas market in Romania is now fully liberalised, a development whose effects are yet to be seen.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":104,"featured_media":86252,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[37738],"tags":[30821,40021],"coauthors":[],"class_list":["post-86251","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-today-in-the-news","tag-gas","tag-liberalisation"],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"\n