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Romanian authorities to discuss, on Thursday, with IMF delegation timetable of energy and gas market liberalization
Romanian authorities will present to the official delegation of the International Monetary Fund, European Commission and World Bank the set timetable for liberalization of the market of electricity, starting on September 1, 2012 and for the liberalization of the natural gas market from December 1, 2012 .
The first technical discussions will take place on Thursday, when officials of the international institutions will meet with the management of the National Regulatory Authority in Energy to examine the timing of liberalization of the market of electricity and natural gas, the definition of vulnerable consumers, the graphic of price increases for non-household consumers and for the households, the draft of Romania's Energy Strategy, which should be completed by the end of July, according to sources close to negotiations.
Under the Law on electricity and natural gas, approved on July 10, 2012, the timetable of a gradual phasing out of the regulated prices on the electricity market for final clients is to start on September 1, 2012 for non-household clients and, from 1 July 2013, for the households.
Deadlines for the supply of electricity under a regulated scheme is set on December 31, 2013 for non-household customers, and on December 31, 2017 for households.
As for the natural gas market, the timetable of gradual phasing out of regulated prices for the final clients is to start on December 1, 2012 for non-household customers and from 1 July 2013 for households. Natural gas supply at regulated prices and based on framework contracts shall be made until December 31, 2014 for non-household customers, except where, at this date, the existence of significant discrepancies is found between the marketing price of the domestic production and the European import price, which could jeopardize stability market stability. In this situation, the term may be extended until December 31, 2015. For residential customers, natural gas supply at regulated price and under framework contracts will be held until December 31, 2018.
The National Regulatory Authority in Energy will monitor, annually, the results of phasing out of regulated prices for final customers and will propose to the Government, depending on results, the valuation of production of domestic natural gas for the domestic market until the approved timetable finalization, respectively December 31, 2018.
ANRE published, in late June 2012, the timetable of the phasing out of regulated prices of gas and electricity, until 2018 for gas, and until 2017 for electricity.
The Government has agreed in principle these memoranda to remove the regulated prices.
Regulated tariffs and prices for final consumers have not been modified since January 1, 2010.