Romania will reach a record high in gas consumption during this period, estimated at 72-74 million cubic meters per day, of which 16 million cubic meters will be secured from imports, energy minister Toma Petcu said yesterday.

The consumption record is related to the very low temperatures recorded these days.

About 28 million cubic meters of gas are secured from the current production of Romgaz and OMV Petrom, whereas 26 million cubic meters of gas come from the stored gas reserves for the winter, according to the minister, reports local News.ro. The imports account for 16 million cubic meters.

In the first ten months of 2016, Romania’s natural gas imports reached 620,900 tonnes of oil equivalent (toe), up eight times compared to the same period last year, according to data from the National Statistics Institute (INS). Niculae Havrilet, president of the National Regulatory Authority for Energy (ANRE), explained in November last year that the imported gas can be bought with RON 68-70 (EUR 15-15.5) per Mwh whereas the regulated price for gas extracted in Romania is blocked at RON 72 (EUR 16) per Mwh.

editor@romania-insider.com