Sursa foto: Pixabay
July 1 marks a new stage in the process of liberalizing the energy market and comes with increases for consumers, especially for those who have not changed the supply of electricity with a competitive one. Those who change the contract until June 30 will benefit from a discount on the invoice.
A Bucharest resident who consumes 125 kW per month could wake up from July 1 with a 15 lei higher bill for electricity, while at the same consumption, a Cluj resident could pay 90 lei more, if they have not concluded new contracts with the supplier and remain at the universal service, show the calculations made by Răzvan Nicolescu, former Minister of Energy.
From July 1, there will be price increases for both gas and electricity – especially for those who have not changed their contracts to enter the competitive market and remain in universal service. Gas prices will be between 20 and 25 percent “almost for everyone”, while electricity, for those who have not changed the contract, increases will be between 5 and 7 percent from July 1 and probably there will be a similar increase at the end of the year, says Răzvan Nicolescu, the former energy minister.
Recomandări Video
Articolul continuă mai jos
“We are talking about an average value of the invoice. In some localities, I expect a higher increase, in others, a lower increase. I think we will see the highest growth in Cluj, Brasov, Ploiesti, Craiova, and I think the lowest growth will be in Bucharest. In the simulation I did, I took a normal subscription, someone who consumes around 125 kW per month. In Bucharest, the increase in value is somewhere around 15 lei per bill, in Cluj it is somewhere around 90 lei per bill “, said at Digi24 Răzvan Nicolescu, former Minister of Energy, currently president of the Association for Clean Energy and Combating Change Climate.
“The calculation targets especially those who, due to an information deficit, did not enter the competitive market”, said Răzvan Nicolescu, estimating that the number of these consumers is around 3 million. “They are under a penalizing tariff, it is called the universal service tariff. The authorities have not told them what to do, people do not yet know what to do – go to the supplier, ask for offers, sign a contract – they have not done so and will pay these penalties – and they pay and currently a higher tariff “, says Răzvan Nicolescu.
ANRE Vice President Zoltan Nagy-Bege said that more than half of household electricity customers are in the competitive market at the end of June, and for others, active energy prices will rise by 3-13% from July 1.
The Intelligent Energy Association also states that from July 1, 2021, the price of natural gas, electricity, thermal energy, and firewood will increase.
Just one day before the end of the post-liberalization phase, the market situation is “not at all rosy”, according to the association.
According to the data provided by ANRE, the number of household consumers in the competitive market is:
- 3.9 million total consumers on the natural gas market, of which consumers in the competitive market: 1.4 million
- 8.9 million total consumers on the electricity market, of which consumers in the competitive market: 4.28 million
As of January 1, 2021, the price of electricity is no longer regulated by the National Energy Regulatory Authority (ANRE). The authority has decided, however, that household consumers can sign a new, more advantageous electricity supply contract until June 30. Those who choose a competitive offer can benefit from better prices and will benefit from a discount already applied in the first six months of this year. Those who do not choose a competitive offer will stay with the universal service, which still brings higher tariffs to the monthly electricity bills and will also lose the price reduction applied so far.