The ceiling on the price of natural gas must be eliminated, but the exit from the ceiling must be planned very well, one solution being the return, for a limited period, to a “gas release program”, declared on Tuesday, the executive director of the Federation of Associations of Energy Utilities Companies (ACUE), Daniela Dărăban.
“From our point of view, the cap must be eliminated. We believe in the beneficial effects of the free market, but the exit from the cap must be planned very well. Unlike electricity, the exit from the cap will be made in the warm season, when the bills, at least for household customers, are the lowest on the natural gas side. This does not mean that some unwanted developments on the wholesale market in terms of price would not subsequently influence the final price, the price of the bill in the cold season. We believe that a solution would be, for a limited period of time, to return to the gas release program, but we are also open to other solutions that can ensure the smoothest possible evolution of the price in the wholesale area”, explained Daniela Dărăban, according to Agerpres.
She stated that she cannot make an estimate related to the impact on the final bill of eliminating the cap, because there is no visibility on gas purchases after March 2026.
“I think it is really difficult to make an estimate on the price impact at this time,” she pointed out, noting that approximately 60% of the final bill to the customer is represented by the price on the wholesale market.
“This is the reason why we say that there must be discussions and that we have a plan. A plan made today can help us have visibility post-March 2026,” added the ACUE director.
She explained that the “gas release program” ensures visibility on the available quantities and packages available at the level of the natural gas supply on the wholesale market.
“There is this problem. When you don’t know if you can find gas, you can purchase at a higher price. So it removes the risk that you won’t be able to find gas anymore,” Dana Dărăban stated.
Until March 31, 2026, the final price invoiced by natural gas suppliers is a maximum of 0.31 lei/kWh, VAT included, for household customers, and a maximum of 0.37 lei/kWh, VAT included, for non-household customers whose annual natural gas consumption in the previous year at the place of consumption is no more than 50,000 MWh, as well as for thermal energy producers and non-household customers within industrial parks regulated by Law no. 186/2013 on the establishment and operation of industrial parks, as amended and supplemented, as well as those within closed distribution systems defined according to Law no. 123/2012, as amended and supplemented.