Specialists of the National Agency for Energy Regulation (ANRE) do not agree with local authorities’ statements that the heating charge in Chisinau is exaggerated. According to them, Termocom SA is implementing correctly the methodology worked out by ANRE and the current tariff of 540 lei is accurate. Anatol Saracuta, head of the ANRE Audit Division, told reporters that though it is not the direct obligation of the Agency, a working group checked the accuracy of the tariff before the new rates were approved, on the request of the local authorities Zinaida Jalba, head of the Thematic Control and Bookkeeping Methodology Section of CMC’s General Finance Division, said recently that when Termocom SA presented the calculations for increasing the heating charges, it indicated 1,800 employees, but the real number of the company’s personnel is 1,500. Also, the tariff of the heat supplied to Termocom by the Thermoelectric Plants (CETs) indicated in the calculations was 216 lei, but the real tariff at that moment was 211 lei from CET-1 and 182 lei from CET-2. The wear degree of the pipes was also exaggerated and this has led to the abusive increase in the heating charge. The local authorities say that the tariff should not exceed 430 lei. According to Termocom administrator Dionisie Antocel, the tariff cannot be decreased as, taking into consideration the recent rises in the price of electric power, heat and natural gas, it should be over 700 lei.