Gas bills will be up to 30% higher in January 2026 compared to the same period of the previous year, according to an analysis by the Smart Energy Association (AEI).
The quantities of gas consumed in Romania by consumers connected to distribution systems (numerically the largest group being household consumers) were 18% higher in January 2026, compared to January 2025.
“Although the quantities of gas in storage facilities increased by 11%, this additional consumption was covered mainly by imports, imports that came with prices up to 40% higher. It should be noted that in January 2025 we were net exporters of gas,” says AEI president Dumitru Chisăliță.
“Gas from storage facilities was the main source that covered consumption on the day with the highest gas consumption in 2026, but in fact the situation in Romania was saved by imported gas, which had the greatest flexibility, with an increase of almost 500% compared to the average of the month (compared to 14% flexibility of gas from storage and 0.1% of gas from domestic production)”, Dumitru Chisăliță also stated.
Thus, the increase in the gas bill in January for household customers will be caused in a proportion of about 20% by the increase in the quantity of gas consumed, and 5% – by the increase in gas prices, as a result of the more expensive imports purchased in January 2026 to save Romania during the cold weather (the prices of gas purchased from imports in January 2026 were up to 83% higher than the administratively established price for gas from domestic production).
