The ceiling on energy and gas tariffs disappears from 1 April 2025. Obligations of suppliers towards customers

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Energy and gas suppliers will be obliged to inform their customers about the fact that, from April 1, 2025, the capping of tariffs will no longer apply.

The tariffs that will apply from April 2025 must be communicated and also the suppliers have the obligation to show people how they can find and compare the offers in the market and how they can switch, if they wish, to another energy or natural gas supply company, writes observatornews.ro.

The disappearance of energy capping comes with higher prices. Consumers would pay, in just a few months, more than one leu per kWh, double the lowest ceiling that currently exists. To help those with low incomes or those who use medical devices, the Ministry of Energy is preparing a support scheme.

After March 31, 2025, energy bills will increase. If now millions of customers pay 68 money per kWh, in a few months their costs could be double. The experts say it and the authorities confirm it.

“The market must return to free mechanisms, in which the price is regulated by the market. We expect the price of energy to exceed the value of 1 lei per kWh, maybe 1.5 lei per kWh,” said Corneliu Bodea, president of the Romanian Energy Center.

“I don’t expect prices to be higher than 1.3 lei per kWh after March 31, 2025,” said Sebastian Burduja, Minister of Energy.

One of the largest suppliers in the energy market, PPC, the former ENEL company, has an offer of 1.23 lei/kWh.

Hidroelectrica, on the other hand, comes with prices between 0.77 and 0.90 lei per kWh, depending on the region. The other players have not yet announced the rates they will apply from next year.

The Ministry of Energy wants all suppliers to send notices to consumers, telling them the prices they will pay from April 2025, when the capping disappears. And to make them come up with better price offers, because there are currently contracts where the prices reach 2-3 lei per kWh.

“Certain contracts remained with higher prices, from the energy crisis period. We want to get the suppliers to update their prices,” said Sebastian Burduja.

Who will benefit from the compensation scheme?

The compensation scheme would also be extended in 2025, but only for vulnerable consumers.

“Those consumers who, on the one hand, have low incomes, on the other hand, have high energy expenses so that once they pay their energy bill they fall below the poverty line, I would expect them to be supported, with a kind of reimbursement of excessive expenses on the bill,” said Corina Murafa, energy expert.

In addition, support for large families or those using medical devices could also be considered.

“There are even price deviations in the market. That is why they must be responsible. I don’t think that offers that exceed the value of 1 leu and 1.5 lei kWh are serious”, explained Corneliu Bodea.

As Hidroelectrica could remain the supplier with the best price even after the capping disappears, experts believe that a new wave of customers will turn to this company. The largest energy producer in Romania reached almost 600,000 customers.