Government Caps Keep 2024 Energy Bills in Check

Throughout 2024, households in Cluj-Napoca – like those across Romania – have been shielded from volatile energy prices by government-imposed price caps. Under an emergency ordinance, electricity tariffs for residential consumers were capped at 0.68 lei per kWh for monthly usage up to 100 kWh and 0.80 lei/kWh for usage between 100 and 255 kWh . Any consumption beyond 255 kWh (up to 300 kWh) was billed at a higher capped rate of 1.3 lei/kWh, and if a household used over 300 kWh in a month, the entire consumption was charged at that 1.3 lei/kWh ceiling . These measures – funded by the state to compensate suppliers – kept energy bills relatively stable in 2024 despite fluctuations in the market . The cap policy, initially set to expire on 31 March 2025, ensured Cluj residents continued paying the same controlled rates as in 2023 .

Natural gas prices have been similarly regulated. For household consumers, gas has been capped at 0.31 lei per kWh (VAT included) – a policy now extended all the way to March 31, 2026 . This means Cluj-Napoca families using natural gas for heating or cooking did not see price increases in 2024, and are not expected to until at least 2026 under the current support scheme.

Price Increases Expected from Mid-2025

While the government’s cap extension through mid-2025 offers short-term relief, consumers are being warned to prepare for significant price increases once these protections are lifted. A draft emergency ordinance published in late February aims to prolong the electricity price caps only until 30 June 2025, buying time for authorities to develop targeted aid for vulnerable consumers . After this date, if the market becomes fully liberalised, households in Cluj could see a sharp jump in electricity tariffs.

Energy analysts project that from 1 July 2025 (after the cap ends), the price per kWh for households will rise markedly. One scenario put forward by Electrica (the main supplier in Cluj’s region) suggests a unified energy rate that would result in final electricity prices of 1.35 to 1.48 lei/kWh (VAT included), depending on the distribution area . In practical terms, this represents steep increases for consumers who have so far benefited from the capped fees. For example, a household that kept usage under 100 kWh/month at 0.68 lei could see its unit price roughly double to around 1.4 lei . An average user (100–255 kWh range) paying 0.80 lei now might face a rate of ~1.35 lei, nearly 70% higher . Even high-consumption households – which already pay about 1.3 lei for exceeding 300 kWh – could see a modest uptick of around 8–10% once caps vanish. The table below outlines the capped tariffs versus the projected post-cap prices:

Table: Regulated electricity prices vs. estimated market prices after the cap. Capped rates (including VAT) remain in effect until mid-2025, after which prices could jump significantly.

According to the Smart Energy Association (AEI), if the market remains uncapped, it will seriously affect consumers due to the lack of real competition and the limited offers available. Currently, only one electricity supplier and four natural gas suppliers have published offers valid after April 1, 2025.

These forecasts assume no further government intervention. If no new subsidies or caps are introduced by July 2025, electricity bills could surge accordingly. Industry experts note this would be a return to full market pricing, ending two and a half years of state protection. Approximately 40% of Romanian consumers (primarily low-usage households) might end up paying double their current bills, while another ~35% could see increases on the order of 80% . Even the most power-hungry clients would face a noticeable rise of up to 10% . Such projections have prompted warnings that many consumers are unprepared for the financial impact of liberalisation . Authorities have been criticised for lacking a clear plan, though they pledge to develop a support scheme for those most in need by June 2025 . For now, Cluj-Napoca residents can expect their electricity and gas prices to remain unchanged through the first half of 2025, with any major adjustments likely hitting in the summer.

Electrica Furnizare’s Billing Scandals in Cluj

While future pricing is a concern, many Cluj consumers are already grappling with electricity billing issues today. Electrica Furnizare – one of the main electricity suppliers in the Cluj area – has been at the centre of multiple invoicing controversies. In recent months, customers have reported receiving wildly inflated bills and errors in their statements, leading to outrage and intervention by consumer authorities .

The company issued storno invoices—corrective bills—pertaining to electricity consumption for October and November 2024. This action stemmed from legislative changes concerning the collection of the Contract for Difference (CfD) contribution, a mechanism designed to stabilise energy prices by ensuring that energy producers receive a fixed price for their electricity, with adjustments made through contributions from suppliers and, ultimately, consumers

Such incidents have not been isolated. Other Electrica customers in Cluj and around the country have encountered overestimated bills, delayed invoices, and confusing tariff calculations. What started as a trickle of complaints has grown into a pattern, with mounting evidence that these are systemic problems rather than one-off mistakes . In some cases, customers opened their mail to find several months’ worth of electricity bills delivered all at once, after a long silence from the company.

More recently, in early 2024, Electrica Furnizare rolled out a new IT billing system – and with it came fresh confusion. During the transition (which spanned January 1 to mid-February 2024), the company switched to estimated billing for many customers . Instead of actual meter readings for that period, bills were calculated based on each household’s historical usage, except these estimations were wildly over-estimated, even when comparing to consumption of the same period of the previous year.

Electrica since explained that these were interim estimates made during a “system optimisation” phase, and it has assured clients that any differences will be corrected once actual meter readings are obtained, however late fees and risks of being disconnected were still a real concern for those who refused to pay the amounts without the corrections being applied.

The supplier reminded customers that they can submit self-read meter index values (via the MyElectrica portal or a dedicated phone line) to help ensure their bills reflect real consumption . It even extended call centre and office hours for a few days to assist people in understanding the new bill format and addressing concerns . Despite these measures, frustration has been palpable – queues formed at Electrica offices and social media lit up with complaints about “umflat” (bloated) bills and confusing invoices.

Consumer advocates in Cluj have urged anyone facing irregular bills to file official complaints and not simply pay questionable charges. Many are calling for ANPC to intensify its oversight of energy suppliers . There is also talk of legal action: some customers, feeling overcharged and ignored, have consulted lawyers about suing the company for unfair billing practices . The tiered pricing system itself has come under scrutiny – critics argue that it unfairly penalises users when estimation errors push them into higher-priced brackets.

Electrica Furnizare now faces a public relations and operational crisis . Trust among its client base in Cluj-Napoca has been eroded, and the company is under pressure to fix its billing system and address customer grievances quickly. In response, some customers have taken matters into their own hands by visiting local customer service centres in person to demand on-the-spot bill corrections – an extreme step that underscores the breakdown in normal customer service channels . These efforts have occasionally succeeded in getting bills adjusted, but not without considerable time and stress.