Number of eligible gas consumers to double

The National Natural Gas Regulating Authority (ANRGN) estimates to authorise 100 eligible consumers this year, almost twice more than last year, when 54 consumers acquired this status. The increase in the number of players on the free gas market is due to the rise in the deregulation extent from 30% to 40% this year, as recently decided by ANRGN. The eligible consumers are those consumers that may directly negotiate with the producer or supplier the amount to be supplied and the price, which is below the price set for the captive consumers in the distribution network. The share of eligible consumers in the total demand on the gas market shows how open a market is. European countries are pushing for a complete and fast deregulation of the national energy markets (natural gas included), to create a single market. The Romanian authorities that are now conducting accession negotiations with EU institutions are considering a full deregulation of the energy and gas market by 2007. The amount of natural gases to be used on the free market this year was set to 7.32 billion cubic metres, compared to 4.8 billion cubic metres in 2003. ZF