Final prices for natural gas for household consumers will not exceed the current maximum level, as a transparent mechanism will be introduced, through which there will be a regulated price for producers and throughout the transport, distribution and supply chain, the Minister of Energy, Bogdan Ivan declared on Wednesday.
"We are talking about a transparent, clear mechanism, through which we have a regulated price for producers, and then along the entire chain of transportation, distribution, and supply, we will also have clear and regulated tariffs. In this formula, the final prices for household consumers will not exceed the current maximum. This is very clear to everyone, because it is in our interest, as the Government, not to have the same experience again that caused panic among people (...) when the cap on electricity was eliminated," Ivan said at the end of the Energy Command meeting.
He emphasized that this time it is about a mechanism "which is not called a cap on the final price," but one through which there are regulated tariffs along the entire chain of production, transportation, distribution, and supply.
"In this form, we keep the gas price and even bring it down in the next stage," Bogdan Ivan pointed out.
The Ministry of Energy published on Tuesday evening the draft Emergency Ordinance for the continued protection of household natural gas consumers, during the period April 1, 2026 - March 31, 2027, and the gradual transition to a liberalized natural gas market for them, the provisions of which would enter into force on April 1, 2026.
According to the draft, for the consumption made during the period April 1, 2026-March 31, 2027, the final price invoiced by natural gas suppliers to household customers, as well as to thermal energy producers, only for the quantity of natural gas used to produce thermal energy in cogeneration plants and in thermal plants intended for population consumption, is established by each supplier as the sum of four components, namely the acquisition component (established by a new formula included in the ordinance), the supply (15 lei/MWh), the component represented by the regulated/established tariffs according to the regulations of the National Energy Regulatory Authority and the component represented by VAT and excise duties.
Thus, for the mentioned customers, with the exception of those taken over as a last resort, the final price invoiced by each natural gas supplier is the minimum value between the contractual price and the final price calculated by the suppliers based on the four components.
According to the draft's substantiation note, during the period April 1, 2026-March 31, 2027, natural gas producers that carry out both onshore and/or offshore extraction activities, regardless of the start date of this activity, and also natural gas sales activities are obliged to deliver, at a price of 110 lei/MWh (compared to 120 lei/MWh currently), the necessary quantities of natural gas resulting from internal production activity to suppliers and thermal energy producers, only for the quantity of natural gas used to produce thermal energy in cogeneration plants and in thermal plants intended for consumption by the population that have opted for the purchase of natural gas directly from the producer.
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