A plecat Rudnap, a venit RWE pe o piata in care energia de export a devenit miza principalaExit Rudnap, Enter RWE, on a Market where Export Became the Main Interest

“Rudnap pleaca, cine-i va lua locul? “, ne-am intrebat in urma cu cateva zile, dupa ce traderul sarb de energie electrica si-a anulat licenta de furnizare pe piata romaneasca. Iata ca, grupul german de utilitati RWE, una dintre cele mai mari companii energetice din Europa, a anuntat deja intrarea pe piata de trading locala, cu scopul declarat de a ajunge in scurt timp in top 10 furnizori de energie. Chiar daca salutam prezenta directa a nemtilor pe piata noastra, atragem atentia ca experienta acestora si forta lor financiara pot fi doua elemente care sa suplineasca inzecit iesirea Rudnap, un trader care din cateva activitati de export s-a umplut de bani in Romania.

Chiar daca aparent RWE nu are nici o legatura cu Rudnap, contextul pietei de energie si facilitatea aparuta pe relatia de export (in conditiile de capacitati de productie excedentare) ne pot pune in fata unor situatii similare celei din care Rudnap a dat cateva tunuri financiare semnificative, cu energia achizitionata din Romania. Din pacate, nici pana in ziua de azi autoritatile nu ne-au lamurit cat din energia electrica achizitionata de Rudnap de la cei 4 mai mari producatori romani (Hidroelectrica, CE Oltenia, CE Hunedoara si Nuclearelectrica) , in ideea declarata de a fi exportata, a trecut efectiv granita si cat a ramas aici pentru a fi vanduta la un pret mult mai bun decat cel de pe piata externa.

Inca odata, fara nici o legatura cu viitoarele afaceri a lui RWE, va aducem aminte despre ceea ce a insemnat prezenta Rudnap aici.

Partea a II-a “Au dat tunul si s-au dus, cine urmeaza?

Minciuna interesului national

Sa revenim insa la consumatorii romani, care platesc deja circa 100 de euro/MWh energie electrica, in contextul in care pe piata libera acesta nu trece , in medie, de 40 euro/MWh. Ni s-a demonstrat, noua consumatorilor, ca am fost furati la factura cu dublarea valorii certificatelor verzi si mai apoi cu taxa de cogenerare. Dar despre cei care fac export, de ce nu suntem informati? Si despre aranjamentele pe care autoritatile le fac, sau le-au facut cu anumiti traderi privati…?

“Pentru ca energia vanduta de Electrica catre Rudnap sa coste doar 156 lei/MWh, era obligatoriu ca cei patru producatori care au contribuit la cos sa castige fiecare cate ceva din afacere. Preturile de productie ale celor doua complexe energetice sunt insa mult mai mari decat pretul platit de catre Rudnap, dovada ca la fiecare oferta de pe piata a acestor doua complexuri, pretul nu coboara sub 180 lei/MWh. Singura societate care are un pret avantajos, sub cel platit de Rudnap, este Hidroelectrica si, intr-o anumita masura, Nuclearelectrica.

Ce a determinat atunci conducerea Ministerului Economiei sa aleaga tocmai aceasta firma pentru a-i atribui un contract direct pentru o cantitate de energie mai mare decat intreaga cantitate exportata de Romania in 2009 ? Ramane un mare mister, care miroase insa de la o posta a comision. Vine asadar luna august 2010, cand Rudnap incheie cu Electrica contractul amintit mai sus, si brusc exporturile obscurului SRL urca la 59.089 MWh, itr-o singura luna. Era doar inceputul, caci, in luna septembrie cantitatea exportata a urcat la 302.605 MWh, pentru ca lunile urmatoare sa o tina cam la acelasi nivel. Si totusi, ceva scartaie in afacere, pentru ca la finele lunii decembrie Rudnap exportase in total 1.229.545 MWh, cam o treime din intreaga cantitate pusa la dispozitia ei de catre societatea Electrica, la ordinul Ministerului Economiei. Or, suntem deja la jumatatea contractului, ceea ce inseamna ca o parte din energia destinata exportului merge pe piata romaneasca, evident la preturi mult mai mari decat cele de achizitie. Consumatorii romani platesc, caci aranjorii castiga”.

Aceasta a fost scurta istorie a prezentei Rudnap pe piata de energie din Romania. Observam multe coincidente cu situatia de azi. Dar sa nu anticipam. Revenind la locul luat de RWE pe piata noastra si la dorinta de a ajunge in primii 10 furnizori, este cat se poate de evident ca nimic nu este imposibil. RWE este pe locul trei in Europa la furnizarea de energie electrica si pe locul cinci la furnizarea de gaze. Are 66.000 de angajati, o cifra de afaceri de 54 de miliarde de euro, 16 milioane de clienti pe partea de energie electrica si 7 milioane pe partea de gaze in toată Europa.“Rudnap leaves, who’s next?” we asked a couple of days ago, after the Serbian electricity trader cancelled its supply license on the Romanian market. Well, the German group RWE, one of Europe’s largest energy companies already announced its entrance into local trading, with the open intention of quickly reaching the top 10 among energy suppliers. We salute the Germans’ direct presence on our market, but we must point out that their experience and financial force can replace ten times Rudnap, a trader who made a fortune in Romania from just a couple of export moves.

Although RWE is apparently unrelated to Rudnap, the context of the energy market and the new export facility (with the existing excess production capacity) can re-create the situations where Rudnap hit the jackpot using electricity purchased in Romania. Unfortunately, authorities still have not established how much of Rudnap’s purchases from the top 4 Romanian producers – Hidroelectrica, the Oltenia and Hunedoara Energy Complexes, and Nuclearelectrica – actually crossed the border, according to the formal declaration of intent, and how much stayed to be sold at even higher prices on the domestic market.

Once again, with no relation to RWE’s future business, we remind what Rudnap’s presence meant in Romania.

They Made a Killing and Left. Who’s Next? – PART II

The National Interest Lie
Let’s get back to Romanian consumers, already paying around 100 euro/MWh of electricity, while the price on the free market does not exceed an average of 40 euros. They told us how they stole from us by doubling the value of green certificates, and later with the cogeneration tax. Why don’t they tell us about exports, too? Or about the arrangements, past and present, between authorities and some private traders?

”To make possible a price of only 156 lei/MWh for Rudnap, each of the four producers contributing to the pool had to win something. The production costs of the energy complexes are way above the price paid by Rudnap to Electrica, as proved by their market offers, always above 180 lei/MWh; only Hidroelectrica, and to some extent Nuclearelectrica can produce cheaper that Rudnap bought.

Then why the top ministry officials chose precisely this company to directly assign a contract for a bigger amount of energy than Romania’s overall 2009 exports? It’s a mystery up to date – but it stinks of rake-off. So came August 2010, and Rudnap signs the aforementioned contract with Electrica, and the obscure Plc exports surge to 59,089 MWh in one month. It was just a beginning, as in September the exports advanced to 302,605 MWh, and stayed close to this level through the next months. However, there was something fishy in this business, as Rudnap’s total exports at the end of December amounted to 1,229,545 MWh, about one third of the available amount from Electrica, following orders of the Ministry of Economy. Half into the contract, it meant that some of the energy for export instead went to the Romanian market, at much higher prices than the purchase. Romanian consumers pay, as game dealers win.”

This was Rudnap’s brief history on the Romanian electricity market. Many similarities with the current situation are visible – but let’s not anticipate. A regards RWE’s position and intention of making it into the top 10, nothing is impossible, of course. RWE is third in Europe in electricity supply, and fifth in gas. It has 66,000 employees, a turnover of 54 billion euros, 16 million clients for electricity and 7 million for gas, throughout Europe.