This
decision was completed taking into consideration the evolution of
international gas price, but the main reason is said to be people's
difficult situation this year owing to the economic crisis, according
to Lificiu.
Premier Emil Boc said on April 3 the head of ANRE informed him gas
prices will lose 3 percent on May 1, following an analysis completed by
the market regulator. However, Lificiu told NewsIn at the end of March
that ANRE decided to freeze gas prices for the population starting
April 1.
The gas price was last hiked on July 1 2008, when it advanced by 12.5
percent for Distrigaz Sud clients and by 11.6 percent for E.ON Gaz
Romania domestic consumers.
Romania had a total consumption of 17.3 billion cubic meters of natural
gas last year. About two thirds come from the internal output, while
the rest is imported.
Romania faced a gas crisis at the beginning of the year when it had to
do without Russian imported gas for two weeks, following a conflict
with Ukraine over the shipping price.
Russia's Gazprom cut off gas supplies which transit Ukraine on January
1. Then, the flow of Russian gas through Romania's Isaccea unit was
halted on January 6 and that through the Mediesu Aurit unit was paused
on January 7.
Romanian authorities redirected gas supplies of large industrial plants
to domestic consumers. Most of the biggest industrial consumers were
shut down before the gas crisis started owing to shrinking demand
caused by the financial crisis.
Moreover, state reserves were used to provide natural gas to people and
authorities pledged Romanians will suffer no effects from this crisis.
A few power companies joined in to help agreeing to either provide more
gas or import more. Also, the local heating electrical thermal plants
CET stopped running on gas to help save it and used black oil.
Gas price for Romania's population to reduce 3% starting May 1, official says
