Minister of Economy, Entrepreneurship, and Tourism Radu Oprea on Monday said the energy price cap should be maintained even after March 2025, until the government finds the right solutions to ensure that energy prices remain low, told Agerpres.
Radu Oprea presented, in a press conference at the headquarters of the Social Democratic Party (PSD), the economic measures included in the party’s governance programme for the period 2025-2028.
“I believe that the energy price cap must continue even after March 2025, until we find the correct solutions to ensure that energy prices are low. Greater production capacity in Romania certainly means lower prices, as market economy laws teach us. (…) We will have investments of over 120 billion euros, investments that must go into the Romanian industry, supporting small and medium-sized enterprises, but at the same time, they must go into energy because affordable energy prices will make the difference in Romania’s competitiveness and the competitiveness of Romanian companies,” Oprea said.
He specified that among the first such investments are the gas power plants in Mintia and Iernut.
According to the minister, the offshore drilling platform for Black Sea gas is “on schedule,” which ensures that “Romgaz, together with Petrom, will bring Black Sea gas to the surface on time, as planned, by the end of 2026.”
“We must continue to support the competitiveness of the Romanian economy, small and medium-sized enterprises, protect vulnerable consumers, and household consumers. The continuation of the price cap could be this solution. The main reason why European companies, Romanian companies, SMEs, and large companies lose their competitiveness is the high cost of energy. Romania has a great chance because of its energy mix, which includes hydro, gas, nuclear, and renewable energy. This mix, with significant investments behind it, will mean affordable energy in Romania,” explained the minister of Economy.
The Social Democratic Party (PSD) governance programme includes state aid schemes of at least 1 billion euros for energy-intensive industries, which will support the cement, chemical fertilizers, glass, and cement industries, all large energy-consuming sectors, Radu Oprea added.