Pretul energiei electrice: cine imparte, parte face, fara stiinta consumatorului finalThe Price of Electricity: the Lion Carves His Share, the End Users Are Not Aware

In continuarea analizei noastre privind pretul real la energie electrica si gaze naturale, dincolo de valorile indicilor bursieri, vom incerca sa aratam ca principalul beneficiar al oricarei cresteri de pret este in primul rand statul roman. Pornind de la acest adevar, statul, chiar daca nu direct, isi permite sa incurajeze anumite companii din sistem si chiar sa mentina anumite subventii incrucisate, de dragul de a nu vedea lipsa de performanta a unor producatori aflati in directa lui coordonare. Toate aceste tertipuri se regasesc in factura consumatorului final, iar piata de energie, oricat de performanta si corecta ar fi ea, nu poate sa le elimine.”Circa 60% din diferenta de pret rezultata in urma etapelor de liberalizare a pietei de gaze se duce la buget”, declara pentru Energy-Center presedintele ANRE, Niculae Havrilet.

Explicatia ar fi una fireasca, in sensul ca gazele naturale sunt un bun national si de aceasta “resursa trebuie sa se bucure fiecare cetatean al Romaniei”. Intrebarea este, cine se bucura in realitate de felul in care bugetul redistribuie acesti bani colectati de la noi, de la consumatori?  La energie electrica lucrurile par a fi mai transparente, dar, atentie, doar in teorie, caci in practica putin stiu ce se intampla cu veniturile suplimentare obtinute in urma liberalizarii pietei.

Taxa de cogenerare, de pilda, pe care o platim de peste doi ani si care reprezinta 4,1%  din pretul energiei electrice, incarca pretul acesteia la consumatorul final cu 23,1 lei/ KWh, fara a avea absolut nici un efect benefic asupra producatorilor in cogenerare, care se dovedesc la fel de ineficienti. Lipsa de transparenta a autoritatilor este aproape totala in acest segment de generare energie electrica, caci nu se comunica niciodata cat se colecteaza la nivelul unui an si efectiv unde se duc acesti bani. Asta in conditiile in care se vorbeste despre circa un miliard de lei colectati anual.

Pretul reglementat reprezinta o alta modalitate prin care statul ia de la unii si da la altii, sub motivul protectiei unei anumite categorii de consumatori. Intr-o piata libera acest pret va disparea, pentru consumatorii persoane juridice inca de la 1 ianuarie 2014, fara ca autoritatile sa fi definit categoria consumatorilor vulnerabili, care au intr-adevar au nevoie de protectie. Aici asistam la o alta smecherie. “Nu trebuie sa existe reglementare in zona de productie”, ne-a declarat presedintele ANRE, Niculae Havrilet. “Pretul liber trebuie sa-l dea piata, iar ANRE nu va mai stabili preturi reglementate ci va ramane activa doar in zona de monopol”. Corect, numai ca, pana atunci (anul 2018 la consumatorii casnici) morisca de repartizare a banilor va continua sa functioneze fara ca noi sa stim in beneficiul cui.

Zona de monopol este o alta categorie a pietei de energie electrica si gaze, care nu prea are emotii atunci cand se pune problema veniturilor garantate de catre ANRE. Vorbim aici de activitatile de distributie si transport ale energiei (inclusiv la gazele naturale), unde se stabilesc tarife care se ajusteaza anual astfel incat companiile care activeaza pe acest segment sa aiba garantate veniturile. Energy-Center a aratat cum au crescut in ultimii ani tarifele de distributie, cu consecinte directe in factura finala. Paradoxal, in ciuda asigurarii veniturilor, autoritatile afirma ca cei care detin monopolul pe distributie nu si-au respectat angajamentele de investitii. Sa vedem insa care sunt influentele acestor tarife in pretul final.

La un pret mediu de 175 lei/1000 KWh, inregistrat pe bursa, se adauga la factura finala nu mai putin de 10 taxe si tarife, accize si alte costuri, din care unele sunt reflectate in factura pe care o primim noi consumatorii, altele nu. Important este ca la final pretul se dubleaza si noi nu stim de ce.

Pretul de 175 lei/1000 KWh reprezinta in realitate (ne referim aici la un consumator din zona Bucuresti alimentat la joasa tensiune) doar 30,9% din total, pentru energia livrata in banda. La acest pret de pornire se adauga dupa cum urmeaza:

– tariful de transport (TG-componenta de injectie in retea), de 9,7 lei/1000 KWh, care reprezinta 1,7% din pretul final;

-tariful de transport (TL-componenta de extractie din retea), de 12,5 lei/1000 KWh, care reprezinta 2,2% din pretul final;

– tariful de transport (SS-componenta servicii de sistem), de 13,42 lei/1000 KWh, care reprezinta 2,4% din pretul final;

– tariful de transport (Pta-componenta servicii prestate de operatorul pietei), de 0,37 lei/1000 KWh, care reprezinta 0,1% din pretul final;

– certificate verzi (CV), 34 lei/1000KWh, ceea ce reprezinta 6 % din pretul final;

– tarif distributie inalta tensiune (D_IT), de 11,02 lei/1000 KWh, ceea ce reprezinta 1,9% din pretul final;

– tarif distributie medie tensiune (D_MT), de 32,7 lei/1000 KWh, ceea ce reprezinta 5,8% din pretul final;

– tarif distributie joasa tensiune (D-JT), de 143, 3 lei/1000 KWh , ceea ce reprezinta 25,3% din pretul final;

-taxa de cogenerare (Cogen), de 23,1 lei/1000 KWh, ceea ce reprezinta 4,1% din pretul final;

-Acciza, de 2,26 lei/1000 KWh, ceea ce reprezinta 0,4% din pretul final;

-TVA, de 109,8 lei/1000 KWh, ceea ce reprezinta 19,4% din pretul final.

La toate acestea se adauga si alte costuri variabile care tin de profilarea curbei de consum, acoperirea dezechilibrului de consum, costuri financiare, costuri pentru asigurarea riscului, marja de profit a furnizorului.

Si, in final, sa nu uitam ca taxa speciala pe care guvernul o va introduce de la 1 ianuarie 2014 (pe constructii, stalpi etc) va avea si ea o contributie “benefica”la majorarea pretului.Continuing our analysis of the actual price of electricity and gas, beyond the exchange indices, we will demonstrate that the main beneficiary of any price raise is the Romanian state. Based on this reality, the state affords encouraging – though not directly – certain companies within the system, and even preserving some cross-subsidies just to avoid seeing possible underperformances of subordinate producers. All these guiles end up in the customers’ bills, and the energy market, no matter how performing and fair, cannot get rid of them.”Approximately 60% of the price difference resulting after the steps of liberalization of the gas market go to the [state] budget”, declared Mr. Niculae Havrilet, president of the ANRE (Romanian Energy Regulatory Authority) for Energy-Center.

The explanation is natural, since the gas is a national wealth and “every Romanian citizen should benefit from it”. But who benefits actually of the redistribution from the budget of these sums collected from the consumers? For the electricity, the situation seems more transparent, but beware: this is only theoretical; in practice, few people know the destination of the additional income resulting from the liberalization of the market.

The cogeneration tax, for instance, already paid for more than two years, and amounting to 4.1% of the price of electricity, adds 23.1 RON/KWh to the bills, without any positive impact on the producers who use cogeneration, since they are as inefficient as ever. The authorities are almost completely opaque concerning this segment of electricity production; the amount collected for one year is never reported, and neither is the actual destination of these funds. And we are talking about approximately one billion RON collected each year.

The regulated price is another way of the state taking from some and giving to other, with the justification of protecting certain categories of consumers. In a free market, this price will phase out; for the business consumers, as soon as January 1, 2014, and the rulers didn’t provide a definition of the ‘vulnerable consumers’ who actually need protection. This is another trick. “There’s no need of regulation in the production sector”, said Mr. Havrilet. “The free price should result from the market, and the ANRE will no longer set regulated price, and will activate only in the monopoly area”. Right, but until then (2018 for the households), the money distribution mechanism will keep running, with beneficiaries unknown to the public.

The monopoly area is another category of the electricity and gas market who isn’t worried at all when it comes to incomes guaranteed by the ANRE. We’re talking about the energy distribution and transfer (including the natural gas), where tariffs are set and adjusted annually so that the companies in this sector have guaranteed incomes. Energy-Center has presented the upward evolution of the distribution tariffs for the last years, with direct impact on the bills. Paradoxically, though their turnover is guaranteed, the holders of the distribution monopoly have not honored their investment promises, according to the authorities. But let’ see the impact of these tariffs on the end price.

At an average price of 175 RON/1000 KWh at the exchange, no less than 10 taxes and tariffs, excises and other costs add up to the final bills, some of them visible on the invoices we receive, and some not. The important thing is that in the end the price is doubled, and we don’t know why.

The price of 175 RON/1000 KWh is actually (for a user of low voltage electricity in the Bucharest area) only 30.9% of the total for the uniform delivery of electricity.. The following are added to this starting price:

– the transfer tariff (TG – the component of ‘injection into the grid’) of 9.7 RON/1000 KWh, equivalent to 1.7% of the end price;

– the transfer tariff (TL – the component of ‘extraction from the grid’) of 12.5 RON/1000 KWh, equivalent to 2,2% of the end price;

– the transfer tariff (SS – the component of system services) of 13.42 RON/1000 KWh, equivalent to 2,4% of the end price;

– the transfer tariff (Pta – the component of services provided by the market operator) of 0.37 RON/1000 KWh, equivalent to 0.1% of the end price;

– green certificates (CV), 34 RON/1000KWh, equivalent to 6% of the end price;

– high voltage distribution tariff (D_IT), 11.02 RON/1000 KWh, equivalent to 1.9% of the end price;

– medium voltage distribution tariff (D_MT), 32.7 RON/1000 KWh, equivalent to 5.8% of the end price;

– low voltage distribution tariff (D_JT), 143.3 RON/1000 KWh, equivalent to 25.3% of the end price;

– cogeneration tax (Cogen), 23.1 RON/1000 KWh, equivalent to 4.1% of the end price;

– excise of 2.26 RON/1000 KWh, equivalent to 0.4% of the end price;

– VAT of 109.8 RON/1000 KWh, equivalent to 19.4% of the end price;

To all these, other variable costs are added, depending on the profile of the consumption curve, on the coverage of the consumption unbalance, on financial costs, on costs for risk coverage, and on the supplier’s profit margin.

And let’s not forget the special tax introduced by the government starting from January 1, 2014 (for the buildings, poles and towers, etc.) will contribute with another ‘positive’ impact to the price.