CONTEXT

• Traditionally, Romanians’ energy concerns are related to the arrival of winter. This year, however, exceptionally, we are all more worried about what will happen in the spring, when the energy price cap ends, at least the one currently in force.
• The prospect raises a multitude of questions: what do the authorities intend to replace the current capping system with, with complete liberalization or with a more “permissive” form of regulation? How prepared are consumers, how prepared is the industry? What about the “historical” costs of capping and overtaxation in energy? What signals are the wholesale markets sending?
• We are preparing to become the largest natural gas producer in the European Union, but we do not know how long and under what conditions the use of fossil fuels will be allowed in the EU. How long will we be able to exploit and use our resources? How long will we be able to heat with gas? And how can we make the most of the remaining time?
• Also, numerous projects for new renewable energy production units are being announced, and the number of prosumers has increased enormously and is expected to continue to increase. To maintain balance, however, these increases must be combined with the strengthening of transmission and distribution networks, the updating of primary legislation and secondary and tertiary regulations, and the stimulation of investments in energy storage.

DISCUSSION TOPICS

Panel 1: The role of natural gas in the energy transition

• Will the Romanian state grant new natural gas exploration and exploitation perimeters? How is the new legislation on oil royalties applied?
• Romania is preparing to become the largest gas producer in the EU. Will we still have time to exploit our resources?
• CO2 storage, a new challenge for Romanian gas producers.
• Romanian gas producers’ energy investments.
• How long will Romania be able to heat itself with gas?

Panel 2: How are we preparing for the elimination of the energy price cap

• The cap will be eliminated from April 1, 2025. What will it be replaced with?
• The cap disappears, its effects persist. What is the situation of state compensation for suppliers and disputes regarding overtaxation.
• How prepared are decision-makers, industry players and consumers for the elimination of the cap.
• How do the main players see the current state of the wholesale electricity markets and what should be changed.

Panel 3: Investments in energy, between the decarbonization and security of supply objectives

• What will be the biggest challenges of the coming winter for the Romanian energy system?
• How do we balance the development of energy production, mainly renewable, with the need to strengthen and modernize the transmission and distribution networks?
• How much connection space is there left in the Romanian networks for new production plants and how will the new auction allocation system work?
• How stimulating is the grid tariff legislation for investments?
• Financing solutions for green energy production and storage. How do we solve the problem of imbalances in the energy system?
• Current status and prospects of the electricity storage sector.
• How are manufacturers of renewable energy production and storage equipment coping with the growing demand from developers?

The event will be LIVE on Profit News TV, www.profit.ro and Facebook Profit.ro