Most of the Romanian electricity supply companies have informed their residential customers about the higher electricity prices they will pay as of January 1 under the so-called universal service, unless they sign free-market contracts with any supplier on the market.

The price hikes can be as high as 25% compared to the regulated prices charged before the end of 2020 in some regions. Still, they can be partly avoided. Such major price hikes will take place only for those households that fail to sign new contracts - or decide to sign universal service contracts.

The free-market prices announced by suppliers (including those that deliver universal services) are higher than the current regulated prices but well below the universal service prices. Therefore, the customers who sign free-market contracts will face much milder price hikes as of January.

For Bucharest and the surrounding region (a region served by Italian group Enel as a distribution company), where the electricity prices are the lowest in the country, a 100 kWh bill is currently RON 59 (EUR 12). The value of the same bill will increase by nearly 24% to RON 73.1 (EUR 15) after January 1, according to Profit.ro.

However, under free-market contracts, Enel charges only RON 66.9 (EUR 13.8) for 100 kWh after January 1 (+13.4%). Other suppliers such as Hidroelectrica have even better offers: RON 61.8, resulting in a 4.75% price increase for former customers served before December 31 by Enel (as a supplier) under regulated prices.

editor@romania-insider.com

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