Romanian gas distribution, transmission companies invest 2.27bn lei in gas networks under 2020 projects

Romanian gas distribution and transmission companies will invest a total of 2.27 billion lei under 2020 projects, of which investment of 1.7 billion lei has already been conducted, and the rest will be ready by the end of October 2021, according to a press statement of the National Energy Regulatory Authority (ANRE) released on Thursday.

The operators have another ten months of this year to complete the investment projects that they could not make last year due to the COVID-19 pandemic, ANRE officials told AGERPRES.

"From the constant monitoring that ANRE performs of the investment projects of the natural gas transmission and distribution operators, ANRE found that in 2020 they were carried out by the transmission and system operator and natural gas distribution operators, of a total value of 1.7 billion lei. It found that the planned investment in the natural gas distribution systems were 98% completed," according to ANRE.

In the national natural gas transmission system, investments were made in 2020 of 1.249 billion lei in all, of which 809 million lei from own funds of the transmission and system operator SNTGN Transgaz SA and about 440 million lei from European funds.

"According to the information provided by the operator, the final investment from own funds will reach 555 million lei by October 31 2021, so as to carried through the investment plan for 2020," says ANRE.

Investment works mainly focused on the expansion of systems for connecting new users, as well as modernisation and development in order to secure the operation of the systems in accordance with approved safety, efficiency and reliability performance standards.

In terms of distribution systems, Delgaz Grid had an investment plan of 211 million lei, of which it completed 210 million lei. Distrigaz Sud Retele planned 259 million lei and completed 249 million lei.

The regulatory framework obliges natural gas operators to make investment in the system to the tune of at least 95% of their total value included in the annual investment plan approved by ANRE for an year, with the possibility of recovering delayed investment.

Failure to comply with this obligation is fineable in percentage points of turnover.