Germany's Ruhrgas, one of the investors in the race for the privatisation of the Romanian natural gas distribution companies, wants to provide Romanian consumers with an alternative to the current gas imports from Gazprom (Russia).
"Ruhrgas will be one of the shareholders of one of the two Distrigaz-es and we will make sure this distribution company can buy natural gases at competitive prices from the international market. Romania, with its dwindling output and only one foreign supplier, should balance things out. We are in a good position to help Romanian companies buy natural gases," said Achim Saul, head of the CEE department with Ruhrgas' sales division. He declined further comment on the privatisation process.
Ruhrgas is part of the German utility group E.On, one of the largest gas and energy groups in the world. Ruhrgas has negotiated with natural gas producer Romgaz the closing of a contract to import gas from Norway in the last few years, which is yet to be signed.
Gas imports from Gazprom are currently covering approximately 30% of the domestic demand, following decline in Romgaz's and Petrom's' production.
"Romania is a natural extension of our business in the region," Achim Saul explains. The German company is running operations in Hungary, Czech Republic, Poland or Slovenia. Ruhrgas entered the Romanian market in 1997 and holds 28.57% in local private distributor Congaz Constanta and one third of Colonia Cluj, a local thermal and electrical power operator.
"We came in Romania in 1997 and it was clear to us even at the time that a major privatisation was in order here. When we entered the market, we did not set out to have businesses like Congaz or Colonia grow fast or yield dividends for those in Germany but learn how to do business on the Romanian natural gas market and get a feel of the market," Ruhrgas official explains.
adrian.mirsanu@zf.ro
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