NAER stated that all actions against Rotalin Gaz Trading are the result of this company’s failure to comply with legal requirements, causing harm to consumers and receiving excess profits.
This is stated in the message of the National Agency for Energy Regulation, which the energy regulator issued after a thorough analysis of information published in the press, referring to the accusations brought by Rotalin Gaz Trading. NAER recalled that Rotalin Gaz Trading holds licenses for the distribution of natural gas and for the supply of natural gas - both received in 2005. By the decision of NAER, the license holder was charged with the obligation to provide public services for the supply of natural gas in accordance with the law. According to the current regulatory framework, NAER checks and approves regulated supply prices based on the annual regulated income calculated for the supplier with obligations to provide public services. In this regard, NAER in the first quarter of 2023 invited Rotalin Gaz Trading to submit an application for approval of regulated prices for the supply of natural gas. The energy regulator noted that, due to the fact that the company purchased natural gas mainly on international markets at lower prices than from the supplier Moldovagaz, Rotalin Gaz Trading accumulated tariff surpluses and was not going to properly adjust the regulated supply prices, which was considered by NAER as unfair behavior towards more than 21 thousand consumers. Rotalin Gaz Trading presented various arguments to delay the process of submitting an application to NAER for approval of regulated prices. After several requests from NAER, on July 7, 2023, Rotalin Gaz Trading sent a request to NAER to approve regulated prices for the supply and distribution of natural gas. In the documents attached to the application for approval of regulated prices for the supply of natural gas for 2023, the company indicated that in January-May 2023 it had accumulated a tariff surplus of 36.38 million lei, which was included in the calculations in order to return up to end of the regulation period. Rotalin Gaz Trading had disagreements with NAER over regulated prices, subsequently approved by the regulator in September 2023, and the company demanded that it no longer be obliged to supply natural gas at regulated prices. As noted by NAER, this indicates that Rotalin Gaz Trading intended to leave the regulated market without returning to consumers the excess financial resources received additionally from natural gas supplies at regulated prices approved for Moldovagaz, which did not reflect the real costs of Rotalin Gaz Trading for the purchase of natural gas. NAER clarified that although the company had an obligation to supply natural gas at regulated prices, according to NAER's decision, Rotalin Gaz Trading notified the regulator and its consumers that it would no longer supply natural gas to end consumers entitled to regulated prices. The Agency issued orders to Rotalin Gaz Trading 2 prescriptions to correct these violations and resume natural gas supplies in accordance with the public service obligation, but the company did not comply with these requirements, so its natural gas supply license was suspended on October 3, 2023. Due to the fact that Rotalin Gaz Trading refused to supply natural gas to end consumers at regulated prices approved by NAER, sanctions were imposed on it in accordance with the law. When determining the size of the sanction, NAER took into account the tariff surplus of 38.5 million lei, accumulated from natural gas supplies, calculated by the agency for January-October 2023. NAER noted that, despite the company’s statements in press releases, currently there is a license for the supply of natural gas from Rotalin Gaz Trading, which allows to carry out supply transactions at negotiated prices without any restrictions. The energy regulator emphasizes that, thus, all actions taken by NAER against the company are the result of its failure to comply with legal requirements, evasion of responsibility for the provision of public services, causing harm to consumers and receiving excess profits. These measures are specific only to the entity in question and cannot be extended to the entire natural gas market or considered relevant in the context of market opening and liberalization, as the company claims in its press releases. NAER noted unconstructive behavior and manipulation of public opinion on the part of Rotalin Gaz Trading, which uses unfounded arguments and slanderous statements against the authorities in an attempt to retain its excess accumulated income from consumers. NAER confirmed its constant openness to the liberalization of the natural gas market in order to attract as many local and regional suppliers as possible to create a healthy competitive environment for the benefit of consumers in Moldova, so that they can receive the best service and prices for natural gas. NAER emphasized that it will continue to apply the current legislation and protect the interests of consumers and the energy market of Moldova. // 18.06.2024 — InfoMarket.
