Exclusiv: De ce a livrat Romania energie electrica Ungariei, cu o pierdere de 10-15 euro/MWh? Exclusive: Why Did Romania Supply Electricity to Hungary at Losses of 10-15 Euros/MW?

Luna trecuta, o mare companie de stat din Romania a fost implicata in exportul de energie electrica catre Ungaria la un pret aflat mult sub cel al pietei interne si foarte avantajos, probabil, pentru tara vecina. In Piata pentru Ziua Urmatoare (PZU) de pe OPCOM a aparut un cumparator care achizitiona intre 800 si 1000 MW pe interval orar, pentru ca ulterior sa revanda aceasta energie peste granita. Nu intamplator, in ultimele zile ale lunii octombrie pretul pe PZU a ajuns la un maxim de 230 lei/MWh, de la o medie de circa 140 lei/MWh. Interesant, incepand de ieri, tranzactiile au fost suspendate iar pretul in piata Spot a revenit la media de 140 lei/MWh.

Intamplator sau nu, schimburile respective au intervenit dupa vizita premierului ungar Viktor Orban in Romania, cand a fost primit neoficial inclusiv de catre presedintele Traian Basescu. Se pare ca in perioada amintita, centrala nucleara din apropierea orasului Pecs din Ungaria ar fi avut ceva probleme, motiv pentru care deficitul de energie electrica a fost asigurat din Romania.

Bine, bine. Putem spune ca am dat o mana de ajutor vecinilor de la Vest. De ce insa acest lucru s-a facut in mare secret, impotriva legii energiei 123 si impotriva reglementarilor ANRE? Mai mult decat atat, cum si-a permis Romania sa exporte energie electrica in pierdere cu 10-15 euro pentru fiecare megawat livrat? Cine suporta consecintele? Sau care este in realitate intelegerea despre care nimeni nu a spus nimic? Si ca o culme a ironiei, in timp ce noi dam ajutoare peste hotare si platim un pret ridicat pentru curent, pretul energiei pentru unguri este sub cel platit de romani.

Cine sa fie compania de stat romaneasca implicata in aceste tranzactii? Deocamdata va lasam pe dumneavoastra sa ghiciti, nu inainte de a va da cateva sugestii, argumente care duc inevitabil la exportator. Ramane oricum intrebarea: cum poti sa cumperi energie electrica de pe piata din Romania la o medie de pret care depaseste de departe mediile inregistrate pana la momentul dat si apoi sa o revinzi la export cu 10-15 euro in pierdere pentru fiecare megawat?

Uite ca la noi se poate. Trebuie precizat ca energia respectiva, achizitionata din PZU, nu ajungea la vanzare pe piata libera din Ungaria, respectiv pe bursa lor-HUPX, ci intra direct in sistemul energetic unguresc. De aici tragem concluzia ca putea fi un ajutor. Pai daca este asa de ce nu a fost transparent? Mai mult, daca se stia de acest ajutor doar in randul catorva oficiali, atunci de unde vom sti noi, consumatorii din Romania cand se vor recupera banii si mai ales la ce nivel? Sau daca se vor mai recupera.

Ei, de data asta lucrurile s-ar putea sa bata la ochi si prin alta parte, mai ales ca Romania nu este la prima experienta de acest gen (a se citi compania romaneasca de stat). S-au mai inregistrat actiuni similare, stiute in primul rand de Dispecerul Energetic National (DEN), si in trecut. Va dam numai un exemplu. La un moment dat, cantitati importante de energie electrica au fost furnizate la export in cadrul asa ziselor contracte de colaborare si sincronizare a Sistemului Energetic National din Romania cu cel din Bulgaria.

Numai ca energia destinata sincronizarii a ajuns ulterior, via Turcia, chiar in Grecia si Italia. Nu stim la ce preturi, ce-i drept. Dar este cert ca cineva a castigat de aici. Anticipam astfel ca Directia Nationala Anticoruptie va avea ceva de lucru daca va lua la puricat respectivele contracte-intelegeri. Cel mai simplu se poate pleca de la intelegerea recenta cu Ungaria.

Pentru a pricepe concret cum stau lucrurile vom reveni cu publicarea pretului mediu inregistrat pe PZU in primele zece luni ale acestui an si cum s-a ajuns la sfarsitul saptamanii trecute la 230 lei/MWh, iar ieri, dupa sistarea ajutorului, pretul a coborat la 140 lei/MWh.Last month, a big state-owned company of Romania was involved in the export of electricity to Hungary at a price way below the domestic market level, and probably very profitable for the neighboring country. A buyer showed up on the day-ahead market (PZU) of OPCOM (the electricity and gas market operator), purchasing between 800 and 1000 MW on a certain hourly interval, then re-selling it over the border. It wasn’t a coincidence that the PZU price at end-October reached a 230 lei/MWh peak, up from an average around 140 lei/MWh. Interestingly, since yesterday, trading was suspended and the price on the spot market returned to the 140 lei/MWh average.

It might be a coincidence that these exchanges occurred after Hungarian PM Viktor Orban’s visit to Romania, during which he was also unofficially received by President Traian Basescu. Apparently it happened when the nuclear power plant near Pecs, in Hungary, experienced some problems; Romania might have covered the deficit of electricity.

OK, we might say we extended a friendly hand to our neighbors on west. But why was it such a secret, why was it breaching the Law No. 123 on energy, and why was it against the regulations of the National Energy Regulatory Authority? Moreover, how could Romania afford exporting electricity at a loss of 10-15 euros for each megawatt it supplied? Who’s responsible for the consequences? Or what is the actual understanding nobody spoke of? And, the maximum irony, while we’re supplying aids abroad and we’re paying high prices for electricity, Hungarians have cheaper energy than Romanians.

What might be the Romanian state-owned company involved? Take a guess – we’re providing some clues and arguments inevitably pointing to the exporter. The question still stands: how is it possible to buy electricity on the Romanian market at a price way up the previous averages and then export it at a loss of 10-15 euros for each and every last megawatt?

Well, it’s possible here. We must mentioned that the electricity purchased on the Romanian day-ahead market did not reach the free market of Hungary, namely their HUPX exchange; instead, it was injected directly in their grid. This leads us to the conclusion it might be an aid. If so, why wasn’t it open? Moreover, if only a handful of officials knew about it, how can we, the Romanian consumers, know when – if ever – and how much of the cost will be recovered?

Well, things might be visible from other places, too, this time, especially as it’s not Romania’s (i.e., the state-owned company’s) first experience of this kind. Similar actions, known firstly to the National Power Dispatcher (DEN), have been already carried out. Here’s a single example. At one point, important amounts of electricity went to export under so-called collaboration and synchronization contracts between the the National Energy Systems of Romania and Bulgaria.

The energy for synchronization, however, ended as far as Greece and Italy, through Turkey. It’s true we don’t know the prices; it’s certain someone reaped benefits. We thus anticipate the National Anticorruption Directorate will have a tough job checking those deals. The handiest starting point is the recent understanding with Hungary.

To give a concrete view of things, we will continue by publishing the average price on the day-ahead market over the first ten months of this year and the way it reached 230 lei/MWh at the end of last week, then plummeted yesterday, when the aid ceased, to 140 lei/MWh.