Energy producers were affected by low prices last year, but distributors performed well in 2013, so, in the end, it was a good 12 month period for integrated energy companies, said Luca D’Agnese, CEO Enel Romania, quoted by Ziarul Financiar.

However, while most European countries have built up integrated players, mostly controlled by the state, Romania had thermal power plants competing with hydropower plants, sold distributions, and is now listing state-owned producers individually, basically cancelling any chance to have integrated companies, she said.

According to Luca D’Agnese, the estimations for this year are mostly related to the market developments in 2013.

“If there will not be a great drought which could change prices, the supply and demand will mainly remain the same. Therefore, I expect it to be a complicated year for producers as the prices will not increase, but on the other hand, a good one for consumers,” he added.

Enel is Italy's largest electricity company and operates in 40 countries worldwide.

The company has been active in Romania since 2005 and has over 4,000 employees locally. In 2012, its revenues in Romania went up by 6.5 percent, exceeding EUR 1 billion.

Irina Popescu, irina.popescu@romania-insider.com