Dana Dărăban, ACUE: "Electricity blackouts can only be eliminated with serious investments in distribution networks"

The measures taken by the Government will solve the situation in the short term, but in the long term, investments are needed in the distribution network to reduce or eliminate the risk of power outages, Dana Dărăban, executive director of the Federation of Associations of Electricity Companies, told us Energy Utilities (ACUE).

Dana Dărăban told us: "I think that the respective measures will ensure the necessary framework for certain interventions and specific repairs, that is, to be able to intervene faster at least in the distribution area. To stop, that is, to stop these electricity blackouts, we can do it in the medium and long term only through the investments we have started in the distribution networks. At the moment, the question was only about intervention times and what is needed for a faster intervention so that people are without electricity as little as possible in the event of a power outage".

The representation of energy distributors also referred to the draft order put by ANRE in decision-making transparency, which proposes a new methodology regarding energy investments.

Dana Dărăban stated: "Regarding the methodology proposed by ANRE regarding investments, we are analyzing the document together with our experts and will submit a series of observations in the following days. What we noticed at first glance is that a series of improvements have appeared, but there are still a series of clarifications that need to be clarified, on the digitalization, innovation and investment recognition side. We primarily request a separate discussion on the return on investment in electricity and the return on investment in natural gas. Then, at least three parameters retained by ANRE that enter into the final calculation of the rate of return do not reflect, from our point of view, the macroeconomic context of Romania. The level chosen and published by ANRE of the rate of return on investment, of 6.94%, is dependent on a method of calculation on which we have a series of observations regarding the parameters, the margins, the values chosen by the regulatory authority for them". His lordship states that, although ANRE seems convinced that the proposed measures would lead to an improvement of the current situation, it is necessary that in the regulatory process all involved parties are heard and, in the end, the decision is optimal for everyone, i.e. to be possible to implement.