Strategia energetica: o noua cacealma sub umbrela unui consultant international?The Energy Strategy: a New Bluff Warranted by an International Consultant?

Departamentul pentru Energie a publicat, pe data de 5 noiembrie a.c, anuntul cu privire la intentia de demarare a procedurii de achizitie publica de servicii de consultanta specializate pentru elaborarea Strategiei Energetice Nationale pentru perioada 2014-2035 si perspective pentru 2050. Dupa ce ministrul Constantin Nita a anuntat ca nu sunt bani, anul acesta, pentru a plati o firma straina specializata in elaborarea strategiei, iata ca zarurile au fost aruncate pentru anul viitor, cand, din asa zisa consultanta se pot scoate bani grei in perspectiva anilor ce vin. Concret, firma de consultanta nu ar incasa mai mult de vreo jumatate de milion de euro, in schimb, pe baza recomandarilor care vor deveni lege, banii vor curge ulterior pentru proiectele recomandate si platite de firmele care activeaza in domeniul energetic, intamplator, majoritatea de stat.

Tactica Departamentului pentru Energie nu este una absolut noua, daca tinem seama de faptul ca Romania a avut pana acuma vreo 6-7 strategii energetice numai in ultimii 23 de ani, din care s-au imbogatit anumiti clienti ai Ministerului Economiei, aproape aceeasi de fiecare data. Singura noutate pe care o aduce acum abordarea Departamentului pentru Energie consta in faptul ca, de data asta se cauta o firma straina de consultanta, in umbra careia sa se mascheze adevaratele intentii ale celor aflati la putere.

De ce spunem ca ne aflam in fata unui anunt paravan? Pentru simplul motiv ca la o asemenea licitatie, sau mai bine zis pe o tema de interes national, termenul dat de Departamentul pentru Energie pentru depunerea scrisorilor de intentie este de…exact noua zile, fara a lua in calcul sambata si duminica. Concret, sapte zile. Ce firma serioasa din strainatate se poate angaja la un asemenea efort, intr-o saptamana?
Raspunsul probabil: una care deja este pe teava.

In mod normal, o firma de consultanta cu renume are nevoie de cel putin cateva luni pentru a-si pregati documentatia, in conditiile in care nu se stiu prea multe lucruri despre sectorul energetic romanesc. Unele firme insa, poate ca stiu cate ceva, caci sunt prezente pe piata romaneasca de niste ani si au dovedit ca se pricep la toate. Exemple avem cu duiumul: privatizarea Petrom, a celor doua Distrigazuri, a filialelor Electrica, desemnarea managerilor privati etc. Daca-i ordin, cu placere.

Specialistii romani din domeniul energetic nu mai prea au nici un cuvant de spus in aceasta afacere, decat daca sunt cooptati de firma straina, care are oricum trasate directiile clar. Este adevarat, Romania nu mai are in momentul de fata institute care sa realizeze capacitati de simulare, modele sofisticate de lucru sau, analize complexe etc. Doar strainii pot face asta, este argumentul Departamentului pentru Energie. Numai ca, nici firmele straine, intr-un interval atat de scurt nu au ce arata. Decat daca se practica modelul fostului CSP (Comitetul de Stat al Planificarii), in urma caruia se pot face adevaratele afaceri din sectorul energetic romanesc.

Nu intram de data asta in mai multe amanunte, in schimb, ne permitem sa reamintim cum s-au facut vechile strategii si ce efect benefic au avut ele asupra sectorului, dar mai ales asupra celor care le-au conceput.

Am asistat la un sir lung de carpeli, incepand cu retehnologizarea unor grupuri energetice, care in urma procesului au ajuns la randamente mai scazute decat inainte. Vom da si exemple in acest sens. Stiti cate sute de milioane de euro s-au risipit in urma acestor carpeli? O sa va spunem noi. Si o sa va mai spunem si cine a castigat din afacerea asta, calata evident pe aplicarea strategiei energetice. Se incearca exact acelasi lucru si de data asta, sub masca angajarii unei firme specializate din strainatate. Hai sa fim seriosi, strainatatea este deja prezenta aici de ani buni. Sacalii de abia asteapta sa se infrupte din prada pe care Departamentul pentru Energie le-o va pune sub nas.The Energy Department has published on November the statementof its intention to launch the procedure of public procurement of specialized consultancy services for drafting the National Energy Strategy for 2014-2035, with a prospective until 2050. After the minister for the energy, Mr. Constantin Nita, said that there are no funds this year for hiring a foreign company with expertise for drafting the strategy, the die has been cast for next year, when the so-called consultancy can bring loads of cash for the coming years. In practice, the consultancy company would receive only about half a million euros, but based on the recommendations to be made into a law, the funds will later be channeled to the recommended projects, paid by the companies in the energy industry, most of which are, accidentally, state-owned.

The Energy Department’s tactics are not quite new, if we remember that Romania already had 6 or 7 energy strategies only during the last 23 years, who made rich some handpicked clients of the Ministry of Economy – almost the same in every case. The only news brought by the Energy Department’s approach is that now a foreign consultancy company is sought for, to hide the true intentions of the rulers.

Why do we call this announcement a screen? For the simple reason that the Energy Department has set for this call for tenders on a matter of national interest a deadline of exactly nine days, weekend not included. In practice, seven days. Now, how can a serious foreign company respond to such a challenge within one week?
The most likely answer: if it already knows it’s the chosen one.

Normally, a reputable consultancy company would need at least a couple of months to prepare its documents, as few things are known about the Romanian energy industry. But there might be companies who know a couple of things, being already present in the Romanian market for some years now, and having proved to be expert in anything. We have a lot of examples: the privatization of Petrom, of the two Distrigaz companies, of Electrica’s subsidiaries, the appointment of private managers etc. Certain wishes are commands.

The Romanian experts in the energy industry are left with little to say about this deal, unless they are hired by the foreign company, who already has its guidelines set. True, Romania no longer has research institutes to provide simulation capacities, sophisticated models, complex analyses and so on. Only foreigners can do this, argues the Energy Department. But the foreign companies cannot present something meaningful under such a short notice, either. Except if one uses the model of the former State Planning Committee, who allows closing the real deals in the Romanian energy industry.

We will not go into further details now, just allow us to remember how were the old strategies drafted and what was their positive impact on the industry, but more so on their authors.

We have seen a long series of makeshifts, starting with the overhauling of power plants who ended up with even lower efficiencies. We will provide examples. Do you know how many hundreds of millions of euros were wasted by these makeshifts? We will tell you. And we will also tell you who is the winner in this deal, obviously based on the application of the energy strategy. The present attempt is perfectly similar, behind the screen of hiring an expert foreign company. Let’s get real – foreigners are already here for years. There are jackals eager for the prey thrown by the Energy Department.