The representatives of the Smart Energy Association claim that the Government could reduce the price of natural gas

The representatives of the Smart Energy Association claim that the Government could reduce the already capped price of natural gas by 30 percent. In their opinion, the ordinance that capped the gas price blocks this possibility. In reply, the representatives of the Ministry of Energy dispute the analysis, stating that the respective normative act does not prevent the price reduction. Bogdan Isopescu explains.

Reporter: Bogdan Isopescu - Natural gas producers were forced to sell to suppliers with contracts for the population at a capped price of 0.15 bani per kilowatt-hour. For their part, the suppliers are obliged to sell to the population at the capped price of a maximum of 0.31 bani. The President of the Smart Energy Association, Dumitru Chiselita, states that, including all the costs of the supply chain, gas for the population could reach a ceiling of no more than 0.24 bani and not 0.31 bani, hence the request that The government should reduce this ceiling, which maintains a falsely increased price on the market of supply contracts for the population. In reply, the suppliers say that the analysis of the Association is based on the premise that all the gas bought on the market is capped at the price of 0.15 bani, but a good part of the gas is bought at market price.

Laurentiu Urluescu, president of the Romanian Energy Suppliers Association: 0.15 bani is a wholesale price, but only a part of the quantity needed by the suppliers.

Reporter: How much is that part?

Laurentiu Urluescu: From supplier to supplier. Each received a certain share from the producers, that share can be from 10% to 50%, the rest is purchased at the market price.

Reporter: The Ministry of Energy does not yet have an official position on whether it is feasible or not to reduce the ceilings for gas, but the representatives of the ministry say that nothing can prevent the suppliers from reducing these values, and this is because the ordinance imposes a maximum threshold, which means the price is not fixed and can fluctuate downwards.

Translated by: Radu Matei