“Union Fenosa” expects NRAE to approve tariff increases soon

“Union Fenosa” (UF) expects National Regulatory Agency in Energy to approve the increases of tariffs for the electric power by April 1. Head of the Company Carlos Gonzales Samano told the Economic Press Club on March 6 that all the distribution companies in Moldova, both of UF and state-run will purchase more expensive power from Ukraine starting April 1. At present the power provided by Ukraine (75% of Moldova’s consumption necessities) is purchased at the price of 2.68 cents per kWh. The new price could constitute 2.8-3 cents per kWh, the official estimated. At the same time, Carlos Gonzales Samano mentioned that the new increases are solicited because NRAE increased by 85% in February the tariffs for the power produced by the power plants (CET). NRAE approved a tariff of 86.63 bani/kWh for CET-1, 67.86 bani/kWh – CET-2 and 82.16 bani/kWh – CET-North. If the price of the power purchased from Ukraine will be fair, the tariffs will be increased by about 20%, the chairman of UF specified. According to him, the present tariff of 0.78 bani/kWh was not increased since 2004, and if NRAE would have applied the calculation methodology, the tariff would have bee raised by 39%. According to the data provided by the NRAE, the consumption of power in Moldova (excepting the raions of the Transnistrian region) registered MDL 2.9 bln, by 10.9%. Those three distribution companies of Union Fenosa Moldova – RE Chisinau, RED Centru and RED Sud – have increased the supplies of power by 11.3%.