Romania may have to supply electricity and natural gas to household consumers in Bulgaria and Greece even if it has to stop supplying its own industrial consumers, if severe gas and electricity supply problems occur in the region.

This provision is part of the European Commission’s Energy Security Package, which is to be debated by EU’s Council of Ministers, reports local Profit.ro.

The package aims to impose an “energy solidarity principle” in the EU. Under this principle, the member states will have to make it a priority of supplying vulnerable consumers in neighboring states at the expense of their own industry, in case major supply disruptions occur.

The Energy Security Package also divides the EU into 9 energy regions, based on vicinity and their capacity to share energetic resources. Romania is part of the Southeastern region together with Bulgaria and Greece. However, Romania’s energetic connections with Bulgaria and Greece are very low.

Moreover, this draft package may meet a strong opposition from France, which will probably oppose it as it does not want to open its energy market.

editor@romania-insider.com