Romania Energy Center | Energy News Romania

1Sep 2026

B1

Cutting the excise duty on diesel fuel by 25%, from September 1. This month, price pressure comes from the regional diesel market. September is the most complicated month, when a price peak is recorded - a ton of diesel rises to 1,300 - 1,400 dollars (compared to 900 dollars in July). The explanation has to do with the forced reconfiguration of supply chains: diesel produced by Russian refineries is no longer accessible. Russia has stopped exporting diesel fuel since July 8. Turkey used to buy Russian fuel and export its own diesel to the European Union. Now, the Turks compete with the other buyers for the available volumes of fuel. Suspicions related to commercial agreements. When you look and see four large chains of petrol stations displaying an identical price to the decimal point (as it was 10.2 lei per liter at the end of August), it is natural for question marks to appear. There we should see real commercial differentiation, not perfect alignment. That is why such situations must be carefully investigated not only by ANPC, but especially by the Competition Council. When you bring diesel fuel from further away (from India or Red Sea ports), transportation costs increase significantly. To these is added a much higher insurance premium for transport through the Black Sea, where there is a permanent risk of a drone hitting an oil tanker. All these elements can explain a variation of about 30 euro cents (that is, about 1.5 lei per liter more), but strictly in the case of companies that actually import on these expensive routes. That's why the cost structure must be checked for each individual case: let's see who brings diesel fuel from long distances with real costs and who buys it nearby, but inflates the profit margin beyond measure. My discussion with Gabi Mihai from Tuesday, September 1, at B1.ro

28Aug 2026

Digi24

Discussion about fuels and electricity, with Cristi Citre, Friday, August 28, at Digi24 Motorina "Romania - the richest country in oil" does not correspond to reality, but is rather a myth maintained by nostalgics. We were rich in oil 160 years ago, possibly 40-50 years ago. Today we still produce 2.5 million tons of crude oil per year and consume 11 million tons/year. The fact that our neighbors produce even less does not mean that we are an oil force.... Why do our neighbors pay less at the pump even though they import almost everything? The answer depends primarily on taxation. The Bulgarians go for the lowest possible excise tax (0.33 euro / liter of diesel), and neighboring countries such as Ukraine, Moldova or Serbia are not members of the European Union, which means that they do not have the obligation to align with the minimum level of excise duty imposed by Brussels. Moldova, for example, has the lowest excise duty on diesel in the region, of only 0.17 euros/liter). Otherwise, the level of VAT is similar in the region, with the exception of Hungary, where the rate is huge (27%) but there Russian crude oil is refined (which is cheaper than Brent). Beyond taxation, there are real cost differences throughout the processing and distribution chain. In the spring, the head of OMV spoke of a cost of 0.90 euros for the production of a liter of fuel. Now, we see that bringing the liter to the pump oscillates between 0.9 and 1.2 euros per liter. This difference of 30 eurocents translates directly into a variation of about 1.5 lei per liter between one gas station and another or between one country and another, completely independent of taxes. However, the price range we see since March (9-11 lei/liter) must NOT become the new normal. Electricity What is happening on the electricity market for autumn and winter? The scenarios circulated recently in the public space advance modest increases of 5% to 20% in bills, but they might be too optimistic. If we look at the figures from the contracts still in force (concluded in past years), there we can find a price of 1.1 lei/kWh (at Hidroelectrica, for example). If we refer to the current market offers of, say, 1.4-1.5 lei/kWh, this means an increase of at least 40%, not 5%. We also talked about the auctions on the stock market. Romgaz managed to sell energy for the last quarter of the year at a price of almost 900 lei/MWh, finding a buyer (OMV Petrom). In contrast, the Oltenia Energy Complex faced a stinging failure in August: zero interested buyers, although the asking price was lower (730 lei/MWh). Why does the market refuse cheaper energy from Oltenia? For two reasons. On the one hand, Romgaz sells electricity produced on gas, with considerably lower CO2 emissions, and the market is looking for clean energy. On the other hand, it is about the rigid structure of the offer: Oltenia has put up for sale energy packages in the band for the whole year (January-December). And the buyers do not want to buy coal megawatts in spring and summer, when we have excess solar production.

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Discussion about fuels and electricity, with Cristi Citre, Friday, August 28, at Digi24 Motorina "Romania - the richest country in oil" does not correspond to reality, but is rather a myth maintained by nostalgics. We were rich in oil 160 years ago, possibly 40-50 years ago. Today we still produce 2.5 million tons of crude oil per year and consume 11 million tons/year. The fact that our neighbors produce even less does not mean that we are an oil force.... Why do our neighbors pay less at the pump even though they import almost everything? The answer depends primarily on taxation. The Bulgarians go for the lowest possible excise tax (0.33 euro / liter of diesel), and neighboring countries such as Ukraine, Moldova or Serbia are not members of the European Union, which means that they do not have the obligation to align with the minimum level of excise duty imposed by Brussels. Moldova, for example, has the lowest excise duty on diesel in the region, of only 0.17 euros/liter). Otherwise, the level of VAT is similar in the region, with the exception of Hungary, where the rate is huge (27%) but there Russian crude oil is refined (which is cheaper than Brent). Beyond taxation, there are real cost differences throughout the processing and distribution chain. In the spring, the head of OMV spoke of a cost of 0.90 euros for the production of a liter of fuel. Now, we see that bringing the liter to the pump oscillates between 0.9 and 1.2 euros per liter. This difference of 30 eurocents translates directly into a variation of about 1.5 lei per liter between one gas station and another or between one country and another, completely independent of taxes. However, the price range we see since March (9-11 lei/liter) must NOT become the new normal. Electricity What is happening on the electricity market for autumn and winter? The scenarios circulated recently in the public space advance modest increases of 5% to 20% in bills, but they might be too optimistic. If we look at the figures from the contracts still in force (concluded in past years), there we can find a price of 1.1 lei/kWh (at Hidroelectrica, for example). If we refer to the current market offers of, say, 1.4-1.5 lei/kWh, this means an increase of at least 40%, not 5%. We also talked about the auctions on the stock market. Romgaz managed to sell energy for the last quarter of the year at a price of almost 900 lei/MWh, finding a buyer (OMV Petrom). In contrast, the Oltenia Energy Complex faced a stinging failure in August: zero interested buyers, although the asking price was lower (730 lei/MWh). Why does the market refuse cheaper energy from Oltenia? For two reasons. On the one hand, Romgaz sells electricity produced on gas, with considerably lower CO2 emissions, and the market is looking for clean energy. On the other hand, it is about the rigid structure of the offer: Oltenia has put up for sale energy packages in the band for the whole year (January-December). And the buyers do not want to buy coal megawatts in spring and summer, when we have excess solar production.

28Aug 2026

Antena 3

My intervention on Friday, August 28 at Antena 3 If we want to know exactly what will happen with energy prices, we listen to what the suppliers say. We have signed contracts with the suppliers. If they say the price will go up, it means it will go up. Regarding the possible increases in the electricity bill, at the moment in the public space there are the following estimates:... - Ministry of Energy (Sorin Elisei): 5% - Ministry of Energy (Cristian Busoi): 10% - Association of Electric Energy Suppliers of Romania - AFEER (Laurentiu Urluescu): 5-10% - Asociatia Energia Inteligenta (AEI): 3%-20% - Romania Energy Center (ROEC): at the expiration current contracts, in certain cases, the new offers could be 30%-40% higher. Regarding Cernavoda, the chances of restarting both reactors simultaneously are small (somewhere around 30%). It is much more feasible to restart one alone (around the middle of September) and to restart the other towards the end of September or the beginning of October. It would be ideal to return to normal operation in October, with both reactors connected to the grid. Why is it taking so long, if it was still announced that it rained? It rained upstream, Hungary is closer and benefited first from the increase in flows. Until the water reaches us and until the level of the Danube rises enough to have an effect in the area of the Cernavoda plant, we still have to wait about 10-12 days. Only then is the problem of water needed for cooling solved.

25Aug 2026

Digi24

Talk about gas bills. Let's not panic. Even though we had an unfortunate sequence of crises this year, the situation is more settled in the natural gas area. Yes, Europe enters the cold season with a lower degree of filling of underground storages than in previous years, but this does not mean that we are left without gas. The blocking of exports through the Strait of Hormuz primarily affects the Asian market, where 80% of the volumes exported by Qatar arrived (only 20% went ... to Europe). For the European market, the deficit of about 20 billion cubic meters is manageable. The United States is today the world's #1 exporter of liquefied natural gas (LNG), and US LNG volumes can make up for the lack of Qatari gas in Europe. Of course, Europe will have to pay more to attract the non-contracted American LNG ships (for which we compete with Asia), but the physical supply will not be endangered. As far as Romania is concerned, the price pressure is amortized by the capped price mechanism (for households) until next spring (March-April 2027). In addition, we rely on domestic production, to which is added the prospect of gas from Neptune Deep, expected to enter the market also in the spring. We have enough safety nets. My intervention on Tuesday, August 25 at Digi24

24Aug 2026

Antena 3

I commented for Antena 3 on the announcement related to Dama Solar - the largest solar park in Europe (1,044 MW) which received authorization from ANRE in August and is to be built in Arad county. The project also provides for an important storage capacity (about 500 MW). However, the technical reality on the ground is that the construction is just starting and will take about two and a half years. In an optimistic scenario, without delays or bureaucratic blockages, the park will be functional only in 2029. What happens to the bills? I am very cautious when it comes to estimates expressed in the public space. At the government level, the tendency is to minimize the impact (we are talking about increases of only 5%). In practice, the price increases can be much higher. Not all providers have the same exposure. The most vulnerable remain the suppliers who had contracts with Nuclearelectrica and were suddenly forced to buy energy from the spot market. These suppliers are the most exposed to volatility and high prices. On the other hand, the price peaks do not last 24 hours out of 24. They are concentrated in two clear windows (morning between 7:00-9:00 and evening between 18:00 and 22:00), which further dilutes the average daily cost. Related to the voluntary reduction of consumption, the contrast between Romania and Hungary shows a structural problem of trust. While in our Hungarian neighbors the appeal of the authorities worked and 80% of the population voluntarily reduced consumption to help the system, here the situation is completely different: half of the population reacts backwards to any request from the government area. My intervention on Monday, August 24 at Antena 3

21Aug 2026

B1

Snapshot of the National Energy System, commented on B1.ro, on August 21: on that day, at lunch, photovoltaics provide 3,200 MW in the network (that is, 45% of the electricity production), and the storage facilities absorb the surplus to inject it into the system in the evening. For gas, things are constant, wind brings about 1,200 MW, and biomass delivers just shy of 60 MW. The bad news comes from the rest of the mix: nuclear is at zero, hydro is feeling the drought (only 477 M...W at lunch, with the hope of recovery after 18:00 from the reservoirs), and coal we have the (temporary) breakdown at the Turceni boiler - which has been resolved in the meantime. We import massively from Bulgaria, because with them we have an interconnection capacity of almost 2,000 MW (the largest interconnection capacity among all neighboring countries). Related to the ANRE project on rewarding large consumers who reduce consumption: it is a welcome step, even if it comes late. In a normal economy, if a company agrees to reduce its activity in the intervals in which energy is missing or very expensive, it must be financially compensated. This is how the list of uninterruptible consumers should have been thought from the very beginning. Could the state have avoided the situation this summer? Unfortunately, the state settles the unfinished works for decades, and the pots are broken in the current mandate.

20Aug 2026

Digi24

My participation in the discussion moderated by Roxana Lazarescu, together with Emanuel Cernat and Adrian Cioroianu Thursday, August 20, Digi24 Some of the ideas scored: When several crises hit you at the same time, you work with the tools you set up before they started. You cannot invent new production capacities overnight if you did not plan and finance them 3-4 years ago.... How do we get through these critical weeks? With two direct levers: imports and demand management. We rely heavily on electricity imports from Bulgaria (with which we have the largest interconnection capacity, of almost 2000 MW) and we hope that the wind will blow. Otherwise, the immediate solution remains moving and reducing consumption outside the problematic hours. The risk areas are well known: the interval 8-9 in the morning and especially in the evening, from 19:00 to 23:00. Related to the list of large industrial consumers and the state of alert: the notifications sent do not mean that factories are closing. That is exactly why the list was made and the warnings were sent, so that the big operators are aware of the situation and prepare their internal management protocols. The real challenge only begins now, from September onwards. Vacations end, schools reopen, institutions resume activity at maximum speed and energy and fuel consumption automatically increases. On top of all this pressure from the energy market (drought, low Danube, stopped reactor at Cernavoda) tax increases are superimposed. Higher electricity bills will hit an already stressed consumer from all directions. However, there is a pipeline of projects to be put into operation, including storage, which should give us another breath of fresh air. Until these new capacities materialize, we remain dependent on the tools of the moment: imports from neighbors in expensive hours, adaptation of consumption and hope that the weather will be on our side.

19Aug 2026

Digi24

About "competition" in the fuel market (retail area). 2 days after the excise duty dropped by 20% (68 bani), 4 large oil companies (Petrom, Rompetrol, OMV and MOL) had the same price for diesel: 10.2 lei / liter. Where is the competition? Where is the price diversity? ... In a market where you have real competition, we should see 9.99 lei/liter at one gas station, 10.17 lei at another, 10.12 lei/l, 10.23 lei/liter and so on (random prices, for example). That means DIFFERENT prices! But when you have 4 companies that display the same price for diesel (10.2 lei/liter), you have to ask yourself questions. This clearly indicates that the sellers "agree" on the price. The specialized term in economics is "price collusion" and it is considered an anti-competitive practice, so it is directly related to the competence and object of activity of the Competition Council. Meanwhile, compared to the time of this discussion (which took place on August 19), Petrom lowered the price of diesel to 10.14 lei/liter. However, today, August 26, we still have 3 companies (Rompetrol, OMV and MOL) that have the same price: 10.2 lei/liter. If this is not price fixing and cartel like behavior, then what is? There is, of course, a real tension in the regional market that cannot be ignored. We cannot pretend that there is complete peace and that prices are rising completely for no reason. We have logistical blockages (the dramatic drop in the level of the Danube, which may have affected river transport and forced the finding of more expensive alternative import routes). However, after applying the discount of 68 money, drivers should have seen the price of 10 lei maintained for at least a week. Those who drive second-hand diesel cars (for which they paid 3,000 or 5,000 euros) are not rich people, and the tax burden remains too aggressive. The state took a first step by reducing 68 money, but the fiscal burden still remains high. Gas stations, also, should understand that the relationship with drivers matters in the medium and long term. To drop to 9.99 lei only to raise the price immediately back in 2 days is perceived by many drivers as a joke. The new generation of drivers is oriented towards electric vehicles, and if you want to pursue this fuel business in the medium/long term, you must also focus on the relationship with the drivers, not only on the profit margin. My intervention on Wednesday, August 19 at Digi24

17Aug 2026

TVR Info

Discussion on Monday, August 17, from Știrile TVR, about: The data published by the INS about the decrease in production and the increase in imports in the period January-June 2026 (compared to 2025). The decrease in nuclear production in the first part of the year has an explanation: the planned shutdowns from May-July (unit 1 was shut down for another month and a half, and reactor 2 for 20 days). Gas imports naturally increased against the backdrop of consumption in the cold season, and the 27% jump in imported petroleum products was the reaction to ensure diesel stocks after the March scare. Why are the neighbors doing better? Bulgaria followed the poor man's option and pragmatically invested in batteries. Instead of throwing themselves into "strategic" projects and illusions of a regional hub, the Bulgarians chose investments with a lower degree of ambition, but applied. A few years later, this realistic approach places them in a much more comfortable position than ours. Regarding the small modular reactors (SMRs) from Doicesti: the problem is not the technology. There are dozens of SMR models in the world and it remains to be seen which will be commercially successful. The real problem is related to the structuring of the project. Nuclearelectrica must be left to focus on its main, income-generating activity (the safe operation of units 1 and 2 and the preparation of reactors 3 and 4). It is a mistake to burden the company with the role of leader in a pioneering project, given that it has been left behind with vital works on the existing infrastructure. The problem of directing water on the Bala branch was identified since 2002-2003, the technical solution existed since 2006, the approvals were taken since 2022, and the year 2026 caught us with the unfinished work. On SMR, Nuclearelectrica can have at most a minority exposure, the financial risk in a "first-of-a-kind" project must be shared with other investors and external partners.

17Aug 2026

Digi24

About the 20% reduction in excise duty on diesel A wiser decision by the Ministry of Finance (compared to the initially announced reduction of only 10%), but still with the price of 2 euros/liter we remain at the pump! Romania is not Germany, nor Denmark, nor Belgium or Finland. We cannot compare ourselves economically with these rich countries to bear the same level of prices. The platoon in which we are running economically is different. Therefore, diesel prices here must be more than in Bulgaria, more than in Poland. A real tax reduction would anchor the costs in the purchasing power of the economy. The fundamental problem remains the suffocating taxation. Why do we have an excise tax of 2.1 lei per liter when we could have one of 1.4 lei? Why should we have a VAT of 21% when it could be 19% or even 15%? We stabilize Romania macroeconomically, and microeconomically we die individually. Many entrepreneurs are already at the limit, others have already gone bankrupt. When you live in continuous uncertainty, you enter a survival shell. The first reaction is to postpone investments, and without investments you don't have economic growth. What's next from autumn? If the prices on the international markets increase, the excise tax reduction will be completely destroyed from September. Europe is facing a structural deficit of diesel, and Romania is an importer of diesel. Any increase in external quotations will affect us, and a 20% or even 25% cut in excise duty will not be nearly enough to absorb the shock. My intervention on Monday, August 17 at Digi24

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