Authorities to advance gas market deregulation

The potential investors interested in the privatisation of the two major natural gases distribution companies Distrigaz Nord and Distrigaz Sud want the deregulation of the gas market in Romania sped up, sources involved in the privatisation process say. The privatisation advertisement shows this may indeed happen. “The Government is considering the need to set new regulations on the acquisition of gas in the distribution sector,” the privatisation advertisement for the two Distrigaz-es reads. These possible new regulations, which serve as an attraction for investors, will primarily target maintaining adequate competition in the sector. In case they are enacted, the regulations will be forwarded to investors before the next step in the privatisation process is taken. At the moment, the gas market is 33% deregulated, with further deregulation up to 40% to be decided in December. The gas and energy markets are slated for full deregulation by 2007, according to the road map devised for the energy system and recently passed. ZF