Romania Energy Center | Energy News Romania

4Sep 2026

Digi24

Price collusion at the pump, on gasoline this time. On Friday, September 4, gasoline reached a historical record of 9.7 lei/liter in OMV and MOL gas stations. Today, September 8, gasoline has the same price of 9.79 lei/liter at OMV, MOL and Rompetrol, with a penny less at Lukoil (9.78 lei/liter) and 9.73 lei/liter at Petrom stations in Bucharest. ... So, it has a little more and reaches almost the same level as diesel, which is sold for over 10 lei at all suppliers. So, the state's efforts to lower the price of diesel by reducing the excise duty by a quarter was quickly absorbed by the market. The increase in the price of gasoline, a product where Romania is a net exporter, is difficult to support with economic arguments. Where does the regional pressure come from? The European market operates on the principle of communicating vessels. When the crisis hit in May, refineries in Europe reconfigured their technological flows to massively produce jet fuel (ensuring kerosene stocks for peak summer travel) and more diesel. Added to this is the increase in the price of the Kazakh variety (CPC Blend, transported through the Caspian Pipeline Consortium) which exceeded the threshold of $100/barrel - this trend affects the price at Rompetrol gas stations! Only Romania has a domestic production of gasoline that exceeds consumption. The price of gasoline should not have increased, at least NOT at all sellers at once. What could the state do? Instead of assisting passively, the Ministry of Finance could extend the dynamic excise duty mechanism to gasoline as well. Until now, we have witnessed an obvious discrimination between drivers: those with diesel cars were partially protected by reducing the excise duty, while drivers with gasoline cars did not benefit from any protection measures. The excise tax on gasoline is currently 3 lei and 6 bani per liter. The state could think of a similar dynamic adjustment mechanism and reduce this tax by 1 leu (ie a 33% reduction). Such a decision would ease the pressure at the pump on the gasoline segment and put an end to unequal fiscal treatment in the market. My discussion with Cristi Citre on Friday, September 4 at Digi24

4Sep 2026

Euronews

The perfect storm On the fuel market we are tight as in a vise. The pressure is on three levels: international, regional and internal. - On a global level, the hope that the situation in the Middle East will de-escalate by autumn has evaporated. The Strait of Hormuz remains blocked, normal traffic has not been restored. Although the Americans claim that the ships pass there, the trading companies that monitor the satellite data show a different reality... - At the regional level, we are witnessing an unusual situation. Russia's refining capacity has been severely affected (60% if not more is out of use). Since July 8, Moscow has completely stopped diesel exports. Therefore, Russian diesel is missing from the regional balance. On top of this picture was added the sudden increase in the price of Kazakh crude oil that comes through the Caspian Consortium Pipeline (CPC Blend assortment) with which we and the Bulgarians have replaced Russian crude oil after 2022. The price for this mixture on which Romania critically depends jumped by 100 dollars per barrel at the beginning of September. On August 27, this assortment cost $87/bbl, and on September 2, the price was already $102/bbl. - Internally, we react at snail's pace. Companies, traders, logistics react instantly, the authorities with the speed of the last century. The Competition Council should quickly investigate why gasoline increased by 20 pennies on Friday, September 4. If in diesel we have an obvious regional crisis, in gasoline Romania has a surplus production: it produces 3 million tons per year, consumes 1.4 million, and the rest is exported. An increase in the price of gasoline in Romania is unjustified. Do we have fair prices at the pump? Definitely not. The problem is related to the Romanian state's absurd taxation logic. Excise taxes are historically designed for diamonds, alcohol or tobacco (that is, for luxury products or vices). In today's reality, gasoline and diesel represent a good of strict necessity, without which the economy freezes, people cannot go to work, and stores cannot be supplied with the necessary items. If the state would stop taxing mobility as a luxury and eliminate the fuel excise tax, we would instantly see a cut of 3 lei per liter for gasoline and 2 lei per liter for diesel. Petrol and diesel are NOT a luxury item! My intervention on Friday, September 4 at Euronews Romania

3Sep 2026

Digi24

My intervention on Thursday, September 3, at Digi24 The fact that the fuel excise tax reduction was absorbed by the market in one day has nothing to do with the Strait of Hormuz. The pressure comes from the regional diesel market in the Mediterranean and Black Sea basins. We are witnessing a reconfiguration of trade flows in the last two months: the actors who supplied the regional market with diesel (Russia, Turkey) have turned into buyers. Practically, the price of diesel increases because... Russian diesel has disappeared from the regional balance. On the one hand, Russia lost important refining capacities, which is why it stopped exporting diesel fuel from July 8. She is even looking to buy, in turn, diesel in the market. At the same time, Turkey stopped importing diesel fuel from Russian ports and started purchasing on the free market. When the former regional sellers stop delivering and start bidding for the same volumes available on the open market, demand suddenly increases, and the price per ton of diesel goes up for everyone. Beyond the general context, a correct analysis of the price at the pump requires looking at the cost structure of each gas station chain separately, because the supply differs radically: - Rompetrol brings crude oil from Kazakhstan, refines it at Midia Navodari and distributes it in its own network. - OMV Petrom refines at Petrobrazi approximately 2/3 of domestic crude oil and 1/3 of imported crude oil. - Socar brings diesel from its own refinery (STAR) in Turkey to supply the approximately 100 stations it has in Romania, but it also carries out trading activities. - MOL should have had a lower price at the pump because it refines Russian crude oil (significantly cheaper than Brent), which comes via pipelines (so it bypasses the Black Sea, where higher insurance premiums apply).

1Sep 2026

B1

Cutting the excise duty on diesel fuel by 25%, from September 1. This month, price pressure comes from the regional diesel market. September is the most complicated month, when a price peak is recorded - a ton of diesel rises to 1,300 - 1,400 dollars (compared to 900 dollars in July). The explanation has to do with the forced reconfiguration of supply chains: diesel produced by Russian refineries is no longer accessible. Russia has stopped exporting diesel fuel since July 8. Turkey used to buy Russian fuel and export its own diesel to the European Union. Now, the Turks compete with the other buyers for the available volumes of fuel. Suspicions related to commercial agreements. When you look and see four large chains of petrol stations displaying an identical price to the decimal point (as it was 10.2 lei per liter at the end of August), it is natural for question marks to appear. There we should see real commercial differentiation, not perfect alignment. That is why such situations must be carefully investigated not only by ANPC, but especially by the Competition Council. When you bring diesel fuel from further away (from India or Red Sea ports), transportation costs increase significantly. To these is added a much higher insurance premium for transport through the Black Sea, where there is a permanent risk of a drone hitting an oil tanker. All these elements can explain a variation of about 30 euro cents (that is, about 1.5 lei per liter more), but strictly in the case of companies that actually import on these expensive routes. That's why the cost structure must be checked for each individual case: let's see who brings diesel fuel from long distances with real costs and who buys it nearby, but inflates the profit margin beyond measure. My discussion with Gabi Mihai from Tuesday, September 1, at B1.ro

1Sep 2026

Digi24

My intervention on Tuesday, September 1, at Digi24, about the drop in diesel below the 10 lei threshold. The reduction of 17 bani/liter on the first day of September is strictly the result of the decision of the Ministry of Finance to apply the maximum reduction allowed by law at this time (25%) to the excise tax. The price of diesel fuel has dropped below 10 lei at only one network of stations (at Petrom, from 10.14 to 9.97 lei), but the reduction is fragile and may be swallowed by developments in the regional market... The month of September remains the most difficult test of the fall. Because here, in the regional market, we have structural changes in the supply flows from the Mediterranean and the Black Sea. The strikes that knocked out Russian refineries broke existing trade chains. Russia has stopped exporting diesel fuel since July 8. Turkey, for example, bought diesel fuel from Russia and sold fuel produced in its own refineries to Greece or Romania. Therefore, the Turks compete directly with us on the available volumes of diesel in the region. All these disturbances bring us to a critical point: we enter September with the highest price per ton of diesel this year. September is the absolute peak. The relaxation can only come as the market settles down, and the discounts only after the new commercial routes stabilize.

28Aug 2026

Digi24

Discussion about fuels and electricity, with Cristi Citre, Friday, August 28, at Digi24 Motorina "Romania - the richest country in oil" does not correspond to reality, but is rather a myth maintained by nostalgics. We were rich in oil 160 years ago, possibly 40-50 years ago. Today we still produce 2.5 million tons of crude oil per year and consume 11 million tons/year. The fact that our neighbors produce even less does not mean that we are an oil force.... Why do our neighbors pay less at the pump even though they import almost everything? The answer depends primarily on taxation. The Bulgarians go for the lowest possible excise tax (0.33 euro / liter of diesel), and neighboring countries such as Ukraine, Moldova or Serbia are not members of the European Union, which means that they do not have the obligation to align with the minimum level of excise duty imposed by Brussels. Moldova, for example, has the lowest excise duty on diesel in the region, of only 0.17 euros/liter). Otherwise, the level of VAT is similar in the region, with the exception of Hungary, where the rate is huge (27%) but there Russian crude oil is refined (which is cheaper than Brent). Beyond taxation, there are real cost differences throughout the processing and distribution chain. In the spring, the head of OMV spoke of a cost of 0.90 euros for the production of a liter of fuel. Now, we see that bringing the liter to the pump oscillates between 0.9 and 1.2 euros per liter. This difference of 30 eurocents translates directly into a variation of about 1.5 lei per liter between one gas station and another or between one country and another, completely independent of taxes. However, the price range we see since March (9-11 lei/liter) must NOT become the new normal. Electricity What is happening on the electricity market for autumn and winter? The scenarios circulated recently in the public space advance modest increases of 5% to 20% in bills, but they might be too optimistic. If we look at the figures from the contracts still in force (concluded in past years), there we can find a price of 1.1 lei/kWh (at Hidroelectrica, for example). If we refer to the current market offers of, say, 1.4-1.5 lei/kWh, this means an increase of at least 40%, not 5%. We also talked about the auctions on the stock market. Romgaz managed to sell energy for the last quarter of the year at a price of almost 900 lei/MWh, finding a buyer (OMV Petrom). In contrast, the Oltenia Energy Complex faced a stinging failure in August: zero interested buyers, although the asking price was lower (730 lei/MWh). Why does the market refuse cheaper energy from Oltenia? For two reasons. On the one hand, Romgaz sells electricity produced on gas, with considerably lower CO2 emissions, and the market is looking for clean energy. On the other hand, it is about the rigid structure of the offer: Oltenia has put up for sale energy packages in the band for the whole year (January-December). And the buyers do not want to buy coal megawatts in spring and summer, when we have excess solar production.

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Discussion about fuels and electricity, with Cristi Citre, Friday, August 28, at Digi24 Motorina "Romania - the richest country in oil" does not correspond to reality, but is rather a myth maintained by nostalgics. We were rich in oil 160 years ago, possibly 40-50 years ago. Today we still produce 2.5 million tons of crude oil per year and consume 11 million tons/year. The fact that our neighbors produce even less does not mean that we are an oil force.... Why do our neighbors pay less at the pump even though they import almost everything? The answer depends primarily on taxation. The Bulgarians go for the lowest possible excise tax (0.33 euro / liter of diesel), and neighboring countries such as Ukraine, Moldova or Serbia are not members of the European Union, which means that they do not have the obligation to align with the minimum level of excise duty imposed by Brussels. Moldova, for example, has the lowest excise duty on diesel in the region, of only 0.17 euros/liter). Otherwise, the level of VAT is similar in the region, with the exception of Hungary, where the rate is huge (27%) but there Russian crude oil is refined (which is cheaper than Brent). Beyond taxation, there are real cost differences throughout the processing and distribution chain. In the spring, the head of OMV spoke of a cost of 0.90 euros for the production of a liter of fuel. Now, we see that bringing the liter to the pump oscillates between 0.9 and 1.2 euros per liter. This difference of 30 eurocents translates directly into a variation of about 1.5 lei per liter between one gas station and another or between one country and another, completely independent of taxes. However, the price range we see since March (9-11 lei/liter) must NOT become the new normal. Electricity What is happening on the electricity market for autumn and winter? The scenarios circulated recently in the public space advance modest increases of 5% to 20% in bills, but they might be too optimistic. If we look at the figures from the contracts still in force (concluded in past years), there we can find a price of 1.1 lei/kWh (at Hidroelectrica, for example). If we refer to the current market offers of, say, 1.4-1.5 lei/kWh, this means an increase of at least 40%, not 5%. We also talked about the auctions on the stock market. Romgaz managed to sell energy for the last quarter of the year at a price of almost 900 lei/MWh, finding a buyer (OMV Petrom). In contrast, the Oltenia Energy Complex faced a stinging failure in August: zero interested buyers, although the asking price was lower (730 lei/MWh). Why does the market refuse cheaper energy from Oltenia? For two reasons. On the one hand, Romgaz sells electricity produced on gas, with considerably lower CO2 emissions, and the market is looking for clean energy. On the other hand, it is about the rigid structure of the offer: Oltenia has put up for sale energy packages in the band for the whole year (January-December). And the buyers do not want to buy coal megawatts in spring and summer, when we have excess solar production.

28Aug 2026

Antena 3

My intervention on Friday, August 28 at Antena 3 If we want to know exactly what will happen with energy prices, we listen to what the suppliers say. We have signed contracts with the suppliers. If they say the price will go up, it means it will go up. Regarding the possible increases in the electricity bill, at the moment in the public space there are the following estimates:... - Ministry of Energy (Sorin Elisei): 5% - Ministry of Energy (Cristian Busoi): 10% - Association of Electric Energy Suppliers of Romania - AFEER (Laurentiu Urluescu): 5-10% - Asociatia Energia Inteligenta (AEI): 3%-20% - Romania Energy Center (ROEC): at the expiration current contracts, in certain cases, the new offers could be 30%-40% higher. Regarding Cernavoda, the chances of restarting both reactors simultaneously are small (somewhere around 30%). It is much more feasible to restart one alone (around the middle of September) and to restart the other towards the end of September or the beginning of October. It would be ideal to return to normal operation in October, with both reactors connected to the grid. Why is it taking so long, if it was still announced that it rained? It rained upstream, Hungary is closer and benefited first from the increase in flows. Until the water reaches us and until the level of the Danube rises enough to have an effect in the area of the Cernavoda plant, we still have to wait about 10-12 days. Only then is the problem of water needed for cooling solved.

25Aug 2026

Digi24

Talk about gas bills. Let's not panic. Even though we had an unfortunate sequence of crises this year, the situation is more settled in the natural gas area. Yes, Europe enters the cold season with a lower degree of filling of underground storages than in previous years, but this does not mean that we are left without gas. The blocking of exports through the Strait of Hormuz primarily affects the Asian market, where 80% of the volumes exported by Qatar arrived (only 20% went ... to Europe). For the European market, the deficit of about 20 billion cubic meters is manageable. The United States is today the world's #1 exporter of liquefied natural gas (LNG), and US LNG volumes can make up for the lack of Qatari gas in Europe. Of course, Europe will have to pay more to attract the non-contracted American LNG ships (for which we compete with Asia), but the physical supply will not be endangered. As far as Romania is concerned, the price pressure is amortized by the capped price mechanism (for households) until next spring (March-April 2027). In addition, we rely on domestic production, to which is added the prospect of gas from Neptune Deep, expected to enter the market also in the spring. We have enough safety nets. My intervention on Tuesday, August 25 at Digi24

24Aug 2026

Antena 3

I commented for Antena 3 on the announcement related to Dama Solar - the largest solar park in Europe (1,044 MW) which received authorization from ANRE in August and is to be built in Arad county. The project also provides for an important storage capacity (about 500 MW). However, the technical reality on the ground is that the construction is just starting and will take about two and a half years. In an optimistic scenario, without delays or bureaucratic blockages, the park will be functional only in 2029. What happens to the bills? I am very cautious when it comes to estimates expressed in the public space. At the government level, the tendency is to minimize the impact (we are talking about increases of only 5%). In practice, the price increases can be much higher. Not all providers have the same exposure. The most vulnerable remain the suppliers who had contracts with Nuclearelectrica and were suddenly forced to buy energy from the spot market. These suppliers are the most exposed to volatility and high prices. On the other hand, the price peaks do not last 24 hours out of 24. They are concentrated in two clear windows (morning between 7:00-9:00 and evening between 18:00 and 22:00), which further dilutes the average daily cost. Related to the voluntary reduction of consumption, the contrast between Romania and Hungary shows a structural problem of trust. While in our Hungarian neighbors the appeal of the authorities worked and 80% of the population voluntarily reduced consumption to help the system, here the situation is completely different: half of the population reacts backwards to any request from the government area. My intervention on Monday, August 24 at Antena 3

21Aug 2026

B1

Snapshot of the National Energy System, commented on B1.ro, on August 21: on that day, at lunch, photovoltaics provide 3,200 MW in the network (that is, 45% of the electricity production), and the storage facilities absorb the surplus to inject it into the system in the evening. For gas, things are constant, wind brings about 1,200 MW, and biomass delivers just shy of 60 MW. The bad news comes from the rest of the mix: nuclear is at zero, hydro is feeling the drought (only 477 M...W at lunch, with the hope of recovery after 18:00 from the reservoirs), and coal we have the (temporary) breakdown at the Turceni boiler - which has been resolved in the meantime. We import massively from Bulgaria, because with them we have an interconnection capacity of almost 2,000 MW (the largest interconnection capacity among all neighboring countries). Related to the ANRE project on rewarding large consumers who reduce consumption: it is a welcome step, even if it comes late. In a normal economy, if a company agrees to reduce its activity in the intervals in which energy is missing or very expensive, it must be financially compensated. This is how the list of uninterruptible consumers should have been thought from the very beginning. Could the state have avoided the situation this summer? Unfortunately, the state settles the unfinished works for decades, and the pots are broken in the current mandate.

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