Romania’s governing coalition has agreed on five measures aimed at reducing electricity prices, which will be adopted by the government through a memorandum, energy minister Bogdan Ivan announced on September 2, according to Agerpres.
The measures are expected to take between two weeks and six months to implement, with the first visible effects likely within a year.
“Since we began discussions in search of solutions so that Romanians no longer pay for almost the most expensive electricity in Europe, we have made serious progress. We are already at the stage where we have five measures that were also agreed within the governing coalition and which were transmitted to the Romanian government to be adopted within a memorandum,” Ivan said.
The package includes a market maker mechanism, for which the Energy Regulatory Authority (ANRE) has created a legal framework. The ministry will now consult with major energy producers on their willingness to qualify as market makers.
Minister Ivan stressed that the measures must be applied together to reduce final consumer prices.
Another reform, already operational, involves guarantees for wholesale energy transactions to reduce speculation. Buyers must now provide a 10% guarantee for purchases over six months and 5% for shorter contracts.
The government also plans a single purchasing mechanism to address technological consumption in distribution, which currently accounts for 20% of operators’ costs. Investments in infrastructure and digital systems are expected to reduce these losses, bringing them closer to the European average of 8-10%.
Dynamic pricing combined with smart meters and digitally integrated systems will also be introduced. Ivan cited international examples where such measures cut consumer bills by up to 24%. A production line for smart devices in Romania, serving both domestic and European markets, is expected to be announced soon.
Finally, the government will centralise energy-related financing programmes. Around 40 funding lines currently spread across ministries will be coordinated by a new task force led by the Ministry of Energy.
“Through this act, we will finally have a clean slate in everything that means funding for energy and energy efficiency in Romania,” Ivan said.
iulian@romania-insider.com
(Photo source: Facebook/Ministerul Energiei – România)
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