Specialists at the National Energy Regulatory Agency (ANRE) are to present calculations pursuant to the electricity providers’ requests for higher rates that were submitted in March.

Per the procedure, ANRE has 180 days to answer the requests. ANRE spokesperson Galina Sanduța told IPN the requests were examined preliminarily, but the utilities were asked to provide additional information to back their requests. Now ANRE specialists have to check and then publish their calculations. The next step is to hold a public meeting where all sides are heard before ANRE can take a decision.

On March 19, the electricity providers Gas Natural Fenosa Furnizare Energie and Furnizare Energie Nord asked ANRE to slightly increase rates for consumers. In particular, GNF Furnizare Energie proposed a rate of 1.3425 leu for a kilowatt hour (kWh) for consumers connected to high voltage lines, from the current 1.34leu/kWh; a rate of 1.6125 leu/kWh for medium voltage consumers, from the current 1.6 leu/kW; and a rate of 1.802 leu/kWh for household, low voltage consumers, from the current 1.79 leu/kWh.  Furnizare Energie Nord requested a rate of 1.8525 leu/kWh for medium voltage consumers, from the current 1.66 leu/kWh; and a rate of 2.0925 leu/kWh for household consumers, compared to the current 1.91 leu/kWh.

Last time electricity rates were adjusted on 15 June 2018, when they dropped by 10% on average.

Recently, ANRE Board members met with an IMF delegation to discuss the adjustment of electricity rates and the impact of a potential increase on final consumers. The sides agreed that the process will be transparent and in correspondence with the law.