Romania’s cap on energy prices will remain unchanged until March 2025, announced Romanian Energy Minister Sebastian Burduja on Thursday, indicating that Romanian consumers will continue enjoying the EU’s fourth cheapest gas prices, according to Euractiv.
After that date, adjustments to the pricing scheme may occur depending on market dynamics, he added, noting that the aim is to better target support towards vulnerable Romanians.
The transition will be “gradual, transparent and predictable” because it is important to ensure “the stability” of the energy market, Burduja said, according to Agerpres.
Burduja highlighted that the price caps have enabled Romanian consumers to access gas at the fourth cheapest rates in the European Union.
Regarding electricity, over five million households benefit from a monthly bill of 35 lei (€7), “an absolutely reasonable bill,” the minister said.
He also noted that many energy suppliers currently offer prices below the government-set ceiling, allowing consumers to easily switch contracts if dissatisfied.
Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022 saw a sharp rise in energy bills, with many national governments, including Romania, introducing state aid measures to shield citizens from excessive energy prices.
Almost two years on, and with wholesale electricity prices returning to pre-war levels, things are returning to normality – and energy subsidy measures are being wrapped up in many EU member states.