The electricity prices for
household consumers could increase starting April 1 because of the high prices
recorded on the bourse in January if the National Authority for Energy
Regulation (ANRE) doesn’t take urgent measures to amend regulation, Frank Hajdinjak,
general director of the energy group E.ON Romania, told
Agerpres
.
He added that the price of
gas delivered to the population could also increase by over 10% starting April
1 when the price of domestically produced gas is completely liberalized. ANRE
should step in to find a mechanism for gradual growth, Hajdinjak said.
The GM explained that the
electricity spot prices on the bourse significantly increased in January
reaching values of over RON 650 (EUR 144) per MWh, double compared to the first
days of the year.
"If ANRE doesn’t react,
there is an even higher risk to record a price increase for regulated
consumers. It’s not our goal to reach a price increase, our goal is to have
correct regulations and consumers to have electricity at the right price,”
Hajdinjak said.
He explained that prices
"have gone crazy on the bourse” due to cascading events. Energy prices in the
region have increased due to the low temperatures, and some large energy
traders entered insolvency as they lacked money because banks have had stricter
lending policies for this type of companies.
The market hasn’t recorded
an energy deficit at any point, the E.ON Romania GM added.
(romania-insider.co
m, February, 15, 2017)