RRI Live!

Listen to Radio Romania International Live

Fines for energy suppliers

The National Energy Regulatory Authority has fined 4 natural gas suppliers for planned tariff increases

Fines for energy suppliers
Fines for energy suppliers

, 15.10.2021, 13:50

Four Romanian natural gas suppliers (Engie, E.ON
Energie, Restart Energy One and Premier Energy) have been fined for plans to
increase tariffs while under fixed-price contracts. They are now bound to notify
their clients who entered fixed-price contracts, that the price of natural gas
supply will remain unchanged throughout the contractual period.


The National Energy Regulatory Authority (ANRE) found
that these companies have breached their contractual obligations. The suppliers
were fined for having drawn up standard contract offers that failed to specify either
the contract period, or the terms and conditions for unilaterally cancelling
contracts.


The fines amount to some 545,000 euro, and the
Authority promises to continue monitoring the conduct of all suppliers, and in
case new breaches of relevant legislation are found, to address them
accordingly.


In response, two companies announced they would
take the matter to court, and argue they had done nothing wrong and that
international natural gas prices have skyrocketed. They warn that, in case the
measures intended to mitigate the effects on end consumers are not based on
fair and just economic principles, this will have swift and substantial
repercussions on suppliers, and implicitly on their clients, not only in terms
of prices, but also of the safety of supply ahead of the winter season.



In this very difficult context, the respective
companies argue, all stakeholders-authorities and private operators-need to work
together to identify viable, fair and responsible solutions to overcome this
crisis.



With 95% of the bills accounted for by the natural
gas procurement, storage, transport and distribution costs, suppliers only gain 5% of the invoiced amounts, the operators in question also explained. After
the gas prices rose spectacularly, Romanian suppliers have raised tariffs
several times, and these successive price rises and the small profit margin
reflect in consumers’ bills. For
example, this summer the average price was 0.12 leu / Kwh, while at present it
reaches 0.6 leu / Kwh, i.e. 5 times more.


The authorities are considering a ceiling on
energy prices, but this can be done through a state-aid scheme that must be
approved by the European Commission, the line minister Virgil Popescu said. He emphasised
that, if suppliers are not bound to purchase electricity for the smallest price
in the market and if they are not monitored, energy bills will increase
significantly in a matter of months, and it is citizens who will stand to
suffer. (tr. A.M. Popescu)

Bogdan Despescu
Today in the News Tuesday, 01 April 2025

Romania marks one year since joining Schengen

Romania marks one year since partial accession to the Schengen area.   Romania marks one year since joining Schengen with air and sea borders, a...

Romania marks one year since joining Schengen
SEA SHIELD 25 Multinational Exercise
Today in the News Tuesday, 01 April 2025

Sea Shield Exercise

  “Sea Shield 25”, the largest multinational training exercise organised this year by the Romanian Navy, has begun in Constanta. A roughly...

Sea Shield Exercise
Source: MAPN
Today in the News Monday, 31 March 2025

Romania celebrates 21 years of NATO membership

Romania will continue to contribute to promoting global security and the democratic values, said interim president Ilie Bolojan on the 21st...

Romania celebrates 21 years of NATO membership
Şedinta CSAT (Credits: presidency.ro)
Today in the News Monday, 31 March 2025

Security and defense measures in Bucharest

“We are facing a complicated context after the annulled presidential election of last year, we have a strong distrust in both institutions and the...

Security and defense measures in Bucharest
Today in the News Friday, 28 March 2025

Paris hosts Ukraine summit

At the summit hosted by Paris, representatives of countries that have expressed their willingness to help Ukraine held talks on the security and...

Paris hosts Ukraine summit
Today in the News Friday, 28 March 2025

Drones can be downed legally

The Constitutional Court of Romania rejected, on Thursday, the complaints of the sovereigntist parties AUR, POT and S.O.S. Romania regarding two...

Drones can be downed legally
Today in the News Thursday, 27 March 2025

New legislation for the implementation of the Recovery and Resilience Plan

Romanian MPs on Wednesday passed two bills that Romania pledged to adopt as part of its Recovery and Resilience Plan (PNRR). The first concerns...

New legislation for the implementation of the Recovery and Resilience Plan
Today in the News Thursday, 27 March 2025

Romania cuts state expenses

The rising budget deficit has prompted the Romanian administration to take aggressive measures to cut state expenditure. Cuts were made to budgets,...

Romania cuts state expenses

Partners

Muzeul Național al Țăranului Român Muzeul Național al Țăranului Român
Liga Studentilor Romani din Strainatate - LSRS Liga Studentilor Romani din Strainatate - LSRS
Modernism | The Leading Romanian Art Magazine Online Modernism | The Leading Romanian Art Magazine Online
Institului European din România Institului European din România
Institutul Francez din România – Bucureşti Institutul Francez din România – Bucureşti
Muzeul Național de Artă al României Muzeul Național de Artă al României
Le petit Journal Le petit Journal
Radio Prague International Radio Prague International
Muzeul Național de Istorie a României Muzeul Național de Istorie a României
ARCUB ARCUB
Radio Canada International Radio Canada International
Muzeul Național al Satului „Dimitrie Gusti” Muzeul Național al Satului „Dimitrie Gusti”
SWI swissinfo.ch SWI swissinfo.ch
UBB Radio ONLINE UBB Radio ONLINE
Strona główna - English Section - polskieradio.pl Strona główna - English Section - polskieradio.pl
creart - Centrul de Creație Artă și Tradiție al Municipiului Bucuresti creart - Centrul de Creație Artă și Tradiție al Municipiului Bucuresti
italradio italradio
Institutul Confucius Institutul Confucius
BUCPRESS - știri din Cernăuți BUCPRESS - știri din Cernăuți

Affiliates

Euranet Plus Euranet Plus
AIB | the trade association for international broadcasters AIB | the trade association for international broadcasters
Digital Radio Mondiale Digital Radio Mondiale
News and current affairs from Germany and around the world News and current affairs from Germany and around the world
Comunità radiotelevisiva italofona Comunità radiotelevisiva italofona

Providers

RADIOCOM RADIOCOM
Zeno Media - The Everything Audio Company Zeno Media - The Everything Audio Company