We have set out to get through the winter with gas from our own production, which means 25 million cubic meters daily plus what is extracted from the deposits, and Romanians must remain calm, because no one is left without gas and they are protected by the compensation-cap scheme, declared on Tuesday, the Minister of Energy, Sebastian Burduja.
“We have set out to get through the winter with gas from our own production, which means about 25 million cubic meters daily, plus what we extract from the deposits – 19, 20, 20 and so million cubic meters. Every year, in February, especially in frosty winters, this phenomenon happens: the deposits empty faster, the extraction capacity from the deposits decreases and there are periods when we can rely more on imports. It is a situation, if you will, conjunctural. I want to emphasize that no Romanian has any risk of being left without gas. So, the country’s energy security is in no way endangered. We sent the Control Body to Depogaz to check exactly the extraction program, whether it was respected, to what extent what we established at the beginning of the cold season was followed. If there was a mistake somewhere, I will take the harshest measures and you will see this, because the report will be public. I noticed that slightly more quantities were extracted in November compared to other years. It is true, it was the coldest November in the last decade, according to official data. We are going to determine exactly whether any principle or rule was violated and we will take measures accordingly. Romanians must remain calm. No one is left without gas and they are protected by the compensation-cap scheme,” said Burduja, according to Agerpres.
Asked about the high price of gas in Romania during this period, the official mentioned that the trend is noticeable throughout Europe.
“The price of gas has increased throughout Europe, unfortunately. Our friends in the East want to emphasize that Europe without Russian gas is in a state of vulnerability and look at what has happened recently or why the price has increased on the European gas market. The available imported gas from Alexandropolis, for example, from Greece, has decreased significantly. The available Azerbaijani gas from the reserves in Azerbaijan that also come through Turkey and to our area has decreased significantly and so on. The transit of Russian gas through Ukraine, of course, has decreased significantly. Transnistria is in a situation where it is even then certain that having a higher demand, in the context of a supply, let’s say similar, the price increases. It is a situation, I repeat, transient. You will see in the coming days, when the weather warms up, Romania’s consumption will probably decrease to around 40 million, even less, and then it is possible that it will no longer need a single molecule of imported gas. “From the data I have from the Meteorological Service, I know that in 3-4 days the weather should warm up and things will normalize,” explained the Minister of Energy.
The Minister of Energy, Sebastian Burduja, had a working meeting on Tuesday with the Minister of Agriculture, Florin Barbu, and the Minister of Environment, Mircea Fechet, in which they discussed making the procedures for obtaining authorizations/permits/agreements issued by the two central institutions and by the structures in the territory more flexible, as well as identifying legislative aspects that can be improved in the context of the 2025 irrigation campaign.