The Competition Council (CC) gave green light to a state aid scheme in support of investments for the expansion and upgrading of electricity and natural gas networks, with a budget of EUR 28.4 M, which will run until 2013, Mediafax reports. CC notified its decision to the European Commission (EC).
“The scheme initiated by the Ministry of the Economy will be enforced after obtaining the approval of the European institution. State aid will be granted in the form of non-refundable financial allotments, from European and national funds. The scheme will run until 2013, with a total budget of EUR 28.4 M,” the competition watchdog writes in a press release.
The investment projects may be based in any region of Romania and must be maintained at the respective location for a minimum three years – in the case of small and medium-sized enterprises – and five years for large enterprises.
“This state aid scheme aims at supporting the investment in electricity and natural supply grids, in order to curb losses, increase the safety of supply, avoid situations of crisis and, naturally, to achieve high quality standards to the benefit of all consumers,” CC President Bogdan Chiritoiu writes in the release. Potential beneficiaries are companies that own power and gas grids, and either are power or gas supply operators themselves, or have concluded with such supply operators legal acts that regulate the usage of networks or stations they own. The maximum value of the state aid accounts for 40 pc of the eligible costs of investments for those who will invest in the Bucharest-Ilfov region and 50 pc for the other 7 development regions. Small companies will benefit from a 20 pc bonus, while in the case of mid-sized ones the bonus will stand at 10 pc.
