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Engie: Petrom and Romgaz limit gas quantity on market, we are forced to import at higher price
The two Romanian gas producers, Petrom and Tomgaz, have limited the gas quantity delivered to the market, so the price has gone up and suppliers must import more gas from Russia, which is more expensive, the CEO of Engie Romania, Eric Stab, said on Tuesday.
He explained that all of these will be reflected in the bills that are paid by the final consumers, which will have to be increased by the National Regulatory Authority for Energy (ANRE).
"The price of gas on the market is rising due to several causes. Firstly, this occurs as a result of the fact that imported gas is more expensive, but also because there is not enough gas on the market put up for sale by the Romanian producers, Petrom and Romgaz. They simply say that they are out of gas," Stab said.
The Engie Chairman showed that the obligation of all suppliers to store gas for winter is added to these.
"We hope that there will be more gas on the market in the first quarter of next year, because otherwise we will be forced to import even more, and the import price is rising, being linked to the oil quotations," he said.
Stab explained that this is also caused by the high prices on the energy market, which determined Petrom and Romgaz to direct more gas from their own production to the plants that they own in Brazi and Iernut respectively.
The head of Engie declined to say what the price of the imported gas due to be delivered in winter, but he specified that he presented the ANRE the documents showing that the final price will have to be increased.
Asked if Romania will have enough gas this winter, the Engie official replied: "I do not know, it depends on the winter, only God knows."
"We must be prepared. The Government must have an emergency plan, that will tell us what to do and how to intervene if need be, a plan which does not exist now," he added.