The Competition Council: Contracts signed by Hidroelectrica with Alro and Arcelor Mittal are not state aid

Contracts concluded by Hidroelectrica with Alro and ArcelorMittal are not state aid, but normal commercial contracts, Competition Council President Bogdan Chiritoiu stated on Saturday. The European Commission started two years ago several investigations into Hidroelectrica contracts concluded with large energy consumers, i.e. Alro Slatina and ArcelorMittal Galati and with energy traders, the so-called “wise guys”. “We will send the European Commission the viewpoint of the Romanian state, namely that, in our opinion, contracts with Alro and ArcelorMittal are not state aid, but normal commercial contracts. As far as Alro is concerned, it is a medium and long-term contract, with a calculation formula that takes into account international prices, which is a normal mechanism, applied in other countries too. The other contract, with ArcelorMittal, is a contract concluded on the OPCOM energy exchange, in a transparent manner”, Chiritoiu stated. According to him, in terms of contracts concluded by Hidroelectrica with energy traders, the Romanian state has abstained from issuing an opinion.