Niculescu Government promises extended energy bill support and gradual gas liberalisation

The governance programme of the cabinet proposed by designated Prime Minister Luca Niculescu provides for an increase in the individual monthly net income threshold — from 1,940 RON to 3,500 RON — below which a person may receive support with energy bill payments. The document also provides for the extension of support to cover gas and fuel costs, as well as the gradual, rather than abrupt, liberalisation of natural gas prices for domestic consumers, beginning in spring.

Direct bill support, verified automatically

According to the document, a mechanism is being prepared whereby eligibility for assistance will be verified, as far as possible, automatically, for persons with net monthly incomes of up to 3,500 RON. The support would appear directly on the bill and could potentially cover approximately 3.7 million people for electricity and 1.7 million for gas.

The mechanism will be based on the National Registry of Vulnerable Consumers, interconnected with ANAF, the Ministry of Labour, and energy suppliers, and will be brought into operation according to a publicly announced timetable. Eligibility criteria, including the income threshold, are to be reviewed annually, based on data from the National Institute of Statistics (INS) and the National Energy Regulatory Authority (ANRE).

The categories of beneficiaries will be extended to include households facing higher costs following the introduction of the ETS2 levy — the European carbon tax applicable to buildings and road transport. The governance programme treats the Social Climate Plan as a government priority, as it is the condition for accessing over 6 billion euros from the Social Climate Fund, and the ETS2 implementation legislation will be aligned with this plan.

Gas liberalisation, phased in by March 2027

The current protection for domestic natural gas consumers remains in force until March 2027. It will be evaluated in the fourth quarter of 2026, in parallel with production forecasts for the Neptun Deep field. On the basis of this evaluation, the liberalisation of the gas market and the transition to targeted support will be carried out in stages, in accordance with a timetable announced well in advance, without a price shock.

Other measures in the energy sector

New production capacity: The aim is to bring approximately 5,800 MW of new capacity into the system by the end of 2027, of which around 3,600 MW from renewable sources and approximately 2,200 MW from natural gas, principally the power plants at Mintia and Iernut. The list of projects will be published, with progress reported on a six-monthly basis, measured against Transelectrica's targets for end-2027 (over 4.3 GW of wind and 9.9 GW of solar). Public support under the new schemes will be paid per MW or MWh, upon capacity commissioning, and the timetable for contracts for difference auctions will be published.

Energy storage: Schemes for battery storage will be operated, including the 150 million euro scheme targeting a minimum of 2,174 MWh, with expansion through new calls and instruments from the Modernisation Fund. The target is approximately 1,500 MW of storage capacity by end-2026 and a portfolio of around 4,500 MW by 2028. Suspended hydropower plants will be completed in compliance with environmental legislation, and pumped-storage projects at Tarnița-Lăpuștești, Frasin, and Bicaz will be initiated through contracts for difference notified to the European Commission. State-owned energy companies, including Hidroelectrica and Electrica, will be required to diversify their portfolios through storage; Hidroelectrica is to deliver 1,500 MW/6,000 MWh by 2030.

The Cernavodă nuclear programme: The refurbishment of Unit 1 will be carried out, financed predominantly through corporate means, with 800 million euros approved by the European Investment Bank (EIB), and the system will be prepared for the temporary withdrawal of approximately 700 MW. For Units 3 and 4 (approximately 1,400 MW), the financing structure will be prepared together with international financial institutions and export credit agencies, with the state aid procedure before the European Commission to be concluded — a prerequisite for the final investment decision. A permanent solution will be secured for cooling the plant during drought periods, and the timetable for the geological repository for radioactive waste will be approved by Government decision.

Neptun Deep and royalties: First production from the Neptun Deep field is scheduled for the first half of 2027, with approximately 8 billion cubic metres per year at full capacity. The new gas resources are intended to be used for supply security, petrochemicals, fertilisers, cogeneration, and flexible power generation, with jobs created in Romania, and any surplus will be exported. The new royalties framework will be made operational before production begins, in compliance with existing contracts, and the mineral resources agency (ANRMPSG) is to be strengthened in the first year of the mandate.

Offshore wind and biofuels: Law no. 121/2024 on offshore wind will be fully operationalised, including secondary legislation, the first concession procedure for the three Black Sea zones (approximately 3,100 MW), and grid connection, with coordination on maritime spatial planning and cooperation with Bulgaria. In the first year of the mandate, support schemes will be established for biofuels, biogas, and biomethane produced in Romania, and green hydrogen will be funded where committed industrial consumption exists.

Complexul Energetic Oltenia: The withdrawal of coal-fired capacity will be analysed as replacement capacity comes online, in accordance with a timetable agreed with the European Commission and publicly reassessed every six months, with lignite units necessary for system security being maintained in the interim. In 2027, the Complex's photovoltaic parks, of approximately 735 MW, are due to be commissioned, and the Just Transition Plan will be implemented across the six targeted counties, with private investment being encouraged.

Security stocks and fuels: Sources and supply routes for petroleum products will be diversified through framework agreements with suppliers outside geopolitically at-risk areas, whilst keeping relevant refining capacities operational. Fuel stocks and supply will be monitored, and together with the Competition Council and ANPC, compliance with Law no. 162/2026 will be verified — namely that excise duty reductions are genuinely reflected in pump prices and that the retail margin cap is being observed. Any temporary interventions will have publicly defined criteria for activation and deactivation.