Energocom submits base cost documents to ANRE for gas tariff
Energocom submitted documents on December 1 to the National Agency for Energy Regulation (ANRE), detailing the base costs that inform the final regulated natural gas tariff.
The company’s interim general director, Eugeniu Buzatu, speaking on the Moldova 1 show PE FAȚĂ, confirmed that these Energocom base costs cover supply expenses, ranging from labor remuneration to the amortization of infrastructure assets.
Buzatu immediately clarified that this specific procedure is not the full tariff recalculation stage aimed at a lower consumer tariff.
“Today, we sent the request to ANRE and presented all the necessary documents for establishing the base costs—the costs through which the supplier covers its service, including labor remuneration and material expenses. These costs contain five components, which ANRE is expected to set for us for a five-year period,” Buzatu detailed.
The interim director emphasized that the actual calculations for reducing the consumer tariff will follow later, promising they will be completed “in the shortest possible time.”
Asked what the foundation for an eventual natural gas tariff reduction would be, Buzatu stated unequivocally that “the largest share of the regulated tariff is, of course, the cost of natural gas purchase.”
He explained the complex structure: “Establishing a tariff on the regulated market has several components. One is these base costs, for which we submitted the request today. The largest share is the purchase price of natural gas; then there are the distribution and transport costs, as well as other expenses like amortization (...), and planned investments in software and various tools that will help us supply gas to final consumers.”
Addressing public speculation about a gas tariff reduction of at least 10%, Buzatu considered the figures premature.
“It is premature to make such statements—whether it will be 10%, or 15%, or 20%, or 7%—because there are many unknowns right now that do not depend on Energocom. One unknown is that base cost. The rest of the costs, such as transport and distribution, are public on the relevant operators' pages and can be consulted,” he pointed out.
The head of Energocom highlighted a key discrepancy: the current tariff includes a gas purchase price of 45 euro/MWh, yet the supplier previously stated the actual purchase price for this year is 38.5 euro/MWh. This difference is precisely the aspect that could create the necessary premises for a definitive natural gas tariff reduction after ANRE's complete analysis.
Last week, Alexandru Slusari, a member of the Energocom Board of Directors, announced that natural gas tariffs could be reduced by over 10% starting from the second half of December. His forecast was based, in part, on the weighted average purchase price for the cold season.
Separately, Energy Minister Dorin Junghietu stated on the Moldova 1 show ÎN CONTEXT that Energocom will present its calculations to ANRE in December to analyze a possible tariff change. However, he noted the new tariffs would likely be applied at the beginning of next year.
Translation by Iurie Tataru
