Final regulated prices for natural gas for non-household users will increase by 10 percent as from July 1.

According to a press release of the National Energy Regulatory Authority (ANRE) the hike in natural gas prices will not affect the household users or producers of thermal power for the quantity used for heat generation by co-generation plants and heat plants for household use.

ANRE mentions that the increase in gas prices for non-household users is justified by an increase in the price for imported gas from $290 per cubic metres, the reference for the previous computation of the natural gas prices, to a current $460 cubic metres, and by a change in the mix of gases making up the unitary gas price.

Thus, the unitary price for non-household users will be computed against a mix of 77 percent domestic gas and 23 percent imported gas. The unitary price for household users will be computed against a mix of 89 percent domestic gas and 11 percent imported gas.

The Government has recently passed a normative act under which household users are protected against the future rises in natural gas prices. Government Emergency Ordinance 53/June 17, 2011 says prices for household and non-household natural gas users will be calculated separately and in July 2011 - March 2012 the prices for household users will not be modified.

The previous rise in the natural gas prices was conducted on July 1, 2009.