Marriott enters the free gas market

JW Marriott, the biggest five-star hotel in Romania, is preparing to significantly cut back on its gas bill by directly negotiating purchasing prices, which is what refineries, cement plants or other industrial giants do, due to their access to the free market. Marriott is the first hotel to enter the free market of natural gas. The hotel management has recently requested the National Natural Gas Regulating Authority (ANRGN) to grant the eligible natural gas consumer status to the hotel. This status would allow it to negotiate the amount and price for itself and to choose its own supplier from the market. Captive consumers on the other hand can only buy natural gas from Distrigaz Sud (those in southern Romania) or from Distrigaz Nord for the price set by ANRGN. Among the active suppliers are Wirom Gas, WIEE Romania or Imex. The most important benefit derived from the access to the free market of gas is that the buying price is lower, sometimes by as much as 20 – 30% than the one paid by captive consumers, hence significant savings. ZF