Pomana pe banii fraierilor: ce diferenta este intre furtul furnizorilor de energie si cel al Guvernului? Alms from Suckers’ Pockets: What’s the Difference between Theft by Energy Suppliers and by the Government?

In plin scandal pe marginea facturilor de energie electrica incarcate dublu cu costul certificatelor verzi pentru energia furnizata consumatorilor casnici si industriali din Romania, Guvernul Ponta ne linisteste total: daca pana acum au castigat furnizorii de energie, de acum incolo castiga consumatorii de energie, dar nu oricare, ci doar cei mari. Schema de sprijin despre care se vorbeste de vreo cateva luni incoace a devenit litera de lege, pe motivul ca si Comisia Europeana a ajuns la concluzia ca Europa risca dezindustrializarea, daca preturile la energie electrica si gaze naturale nu scad. Adica, mai pe intelesul tuturor, daca nu sunt controlate.

Mai are rost, in aceste conditii, sa vorbim despre o piata libera, concurentiala si transparenta de energie in Romania sau ori unde altundeva in Europa? La noi in nici un caz. Are rost sa incercam sa ne mai explicam de ce orice facilitate catre cineva inseamna costuri suplimentare pentru altcineva? De bine de rau, consumatorii industriali de energie electrica si gaze naturale din Romania au acces la piata angro si daca stiu cum sa tranzactioneze pot obtine preturi avantajoase la aceste utilitati. Consumatorul captiv insa, fie el casnic, fie industrial mic, nu are aceasta sansa decat teoretica. Dovada ca nimeni nu si-a schimbat furnizorul pana acum.

Pe acest fond al inegalitatilor intre consumatori, Guvernul a decis ieri sa adopte o Hotarare de Guvern care are la baza principiile enuntate in documentul elaborat de Comisia Europeana – “Orientari privind ajutoarele pentru mediu şi energie pentru perioada 2014 – 2020′ si prevede exceptarea partiala a industriei electrointensive de la contributia aferenta promovarii resurselor regenerabile de energie”.

“Exceptarea se realizeaza diferentiat, in functie de electro – intensitatea operatorilor economici: 85% in cazul unei electro – intensitati mai mari de 20%, 60% in cazul unei electro – intensitati de 10 – 20% şi 40% in cazul unei electro – intensitati de 5 – 10%. Schema de sprijin are valabilitate de 10 ani şi se va aplica de la 1 august 2014, dupa aprobarea Notificarii acesteia de catre Comisia Europeana. Numarul estimat al beneficiarilor de ajutor de stat acordat in temeiul prezentei hotarâri este 300, iar bugetul total estimat alocat schemei de ajutor de stat este de 750 milioane euro, se arata in comunicat.

“Pot beneficia de exceptari, in baza schemei de ajutor de stat, intreprinderile care indeplinesc cumulativ, la data solicitarii, printre altele, urmatoarele criterii de eligibilitate: nu inregistreaza debite restante la bugetele componente ale bugetului general consolidat, punerea in aplicare, pe baza auditurilor energetice, a unor masuri de creştere a eficientei energetice, mentinerea locurilor de munca pe durata schemei precum şi nedisponibilizarea pe respectiva perioada a mai mult de 25% din numarul angajatilor, incheierea de parteneriate cu institutiile de invatamânt pentru creşterea pregatirii profesionale şi atragerea de personal calificat. Autoritatea responsabila de administrarea schemei de ajutor de stat este Ministerul Economiei”.
Minunea asta electorala are insa si niste costuri. Pe care nu le suporta nici guvernul, nici ANRE, nici Parlamentul, cu atat mai putin marii consumatori care se incadreaza in schema de sprijin. Ca sa intelegem cum vine problema, ce nu platesc marii consumatori platesc micii consumatori. Si vorbim aici de nu mai putin de 750 de milioane de euro, bani alocati de la bugetul de stat pentru sustinerea schemei de sprijin.

Daca sunteti dispusi sa-i platiti, stimati cititori, va rugam sa ne scrieti. Caci, atentie, procedura de compensare a certificatelor verzi ce vor fi exceptate de la plata prin aplicarea acestei scheme pe o perioada de 10 ani este stabilita de catre ANRE. Pai, cine de la ANRE isi va asuma aceasta sarcina fara sa aiba in spate sprijinul politic? Cu atat mai mult problema devine interesanta dupa scandalul recent in care este implicata Agentia Nationala de Reglementare in domeniul Energiei. Cu siguranta, asupra acestor aspecte se impune sa insistam.Amid the scandal of double-charging green certificates on the electricity bills for Romanian households and industrial consumers, PM Ponta’s Cabinet wholly reassures us: if so far the winners were the energy suppliers, from now on it’s the turn of consumers; not all of them, though – just the big ones. The aid scheme mentioned over the last couple of months evolved into an axiom, justified by the similar conclusion of the European Union: Europe risks to deindustrialization if the prices of electricity and natural gas don’t go down. In other words, if they are not controlled.

Is there any point in talking about a free, competitive and transparent energy market here or anywhere in Europe, in these circumstances? Not by any means in Romania. Is there any point in trying to understand why any help to someone means additional costs for someone else? The industrial consumers at least can buy from the wholesale electricity and natural gas markets, where skilled traders can get good prices. On the contrary, captive consumers, either households or small companies, have this chance only in theory; as a proof of it, none of them changed their suppliers so far.

On top of these discriminations of consumers, the Government adopted an Order on Wednesday, based on the principles of European Commission’s Guidelines on State aid for environmental protection and energy 2014-2020 on state aid; it partially exempts energy-intensive industry from the contribution to the promotion of renewable energy sources.

“The exemption is differentiated based on the energy intensity of economic operator, as follows: 85% for energy intensities above 20%; 60% for intensities between 10 and 20%; and 40% for intensities between 5 and 10%. The aid scheme is applicable for 10 years, starting on August 1, after getting the European Commission approval. The estimate number of beneficiaries of this state aid is 300, and the estimate overall budget for it is 750 million euro, a release informed.

“Under the state aid scheme, exemptions are possible for the enterprises who simultaneously meet the following eligibility criteria on the date of their application: no overdue debts to the component budgets of the consolidated budget; implementation of measures to increase the energy efficiency, based on energy audits; preserving the existing jobs over the aid period; not laying off more than 25% of the employees over the aid period; signing partnerships with educational institutions to develop professional training and to attract skilled workers, and so on. The Ministry of Economy is the competent authority for the administration of the state aid scheme.”
This campaign marvel has its costs, however. Neither the Government, nor the Energy Regulatory Authority, nor the Parliament is liable for them; the least are the big consumers that qualify for the aid scheme. To put it simply, the small consumers pay the exemptions for big ones. And we’re talking of as much as 750 million euros allocated from the state budget for the aid scheme.

If you, our esteemed readers, are willing to pay that amount, please write to us. Note that the compensation procedure for the green certificate exempted under this 10-year scheme is to be set by the Romanian Energy Regulatory Authority (ANRE) . Now, who at ANRE would accept this task without political backing? The issue becomes all the more interesting after the recent scandal involving the ANRE. We surely must get back to that.