The National Energy Regulatory Authority applied contravention sanctions in a total amount of almost 11.2 million lei to a number of 24 participants in the wholesale energy market, according to a release.

As a result of the European directives transposed in the national legislation, ANRE established the Investigation Directorate having as object the investigation activity on the wholesale market of electricity and natural gas. ANRE is the competent authority to conduct investigations in the field of electricity and natural gas in order to ensure the proper functioning of the wholesale energy market and in full compliance with national and European regulations.

In the period 2021 – 2022, ANRE completed 28 investigation actions in the electricity and natural gas sector.

As a result of these actions, ANRE applied to a number of 24 participants in the wholesale energy market sanctions in the amount of 11.191 million lei, as follows: for the electricity sector fines in the amount of 10.191 million lei to a number of 22 market participants wholesale electricity; for the natural gas sector fines in the amount of one million lei to a number of two participants in the wholesale natural gas market.

The sanctions were applied for violating the provisions of art. 5 of Regulation (EU) no. 1227/2011 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 25 October 2011 on the integrity and transparency of the wholesale energy market (REMIT), respectively the manipulation of the wholesale market for electricity or natural gas, as a result of transactions OPCOM platforms, considered of the wash trade type, qualified in the sub-category “washing transactions type A – B – A” or “pre-arranged”.