COMMISSION DECISION (EU) 2017/501
of 12 June 2015
on tariffs applied by Hidroelectrica of Romania to S.C. ArcelorMittal Galați, S.C. Alro SA, S.C. Alpiq RomEnergie S.R.L., S.C. Alpiq RomIndustries S.R.L., S.C. Energy Financing Team Romania S.R.L. (EFT), S.C. Electrica SA, S.C. Electromagnetica SA, S.C. Energy Holding S.R.L., S.C. EURO-PEC SA, S.C. Luxten-Lighting Group SA, S.C. Electrocarbon SA Slatina and S.C. ELSID Titu SA — SA.33623 (2012/C), SA.33624 (2012/C), SA.33451 (2012/C) and SA.33581 (2012/C)
(notified under document C(2015) 3919)
(Only the Romanian text is authentic)
(Text with EEA relevance)
1.
PROCEDURE
2.
DESCRIPTION OF THE ALLEGED AID MEASURES
2.1.
The contracting parties
2.1.1.
Hidroelectrica
2.1.2.
The alleged beneficiaries
2.2.
The contracts
2.3.
The Romanian electricity market
2004 |
2005 |
2006 |
2007 |
2008 |
2009 |
2010 |
40 |
67 |
54,59 |
62,46 |
60,53 |
67,65 |
72 |
(TWh) |
|||||
|
2007 |
2008 |
2009 |
2010 |
Average 2007-2010 |
Electricity production – total |
61,39 |
64,01 |
56,69 |
59,14 |
60,31 |
Balancing market – total |
3,49 |
3,55 |
3,21 |
2,97 |
3,30 |
Day-ahead market – total |
5,04 |
5,21 |
6,35 |
8,70 |
6,32 |
OPCOM-PCCB – total |
5,88 |
8,77 |
6,33 |
4,39 |
6,34 |
Hidroelectrica sales per market segment |
2007 |
2008 |
2009 |
2010 |
Average 2007-2010 (%) |
Regulated market |
[…] |
[…] |
[…] |
[…] |
19 |
Balancing market |
[…] |
[…] |
[…] |
[…] |
6 |
Export market |
[…] |
[…] |
[…] |
[…] |
7 |
Other electricity producers |
[…] |
[…] |
[…] |
[…] |
1 |
Bilateral contracts |
[…] |
[…] |
[…] |
[…] |
63 |
of which contracts under scrutiny |
[…] |
[…] |
[…] |
[…] |
58 |
OPCOM (day-ahead & PCCB) |
[…] |
[…] |
[…] |
[…] |
4 |
3.
GROUNDS FOR INITIATING THE FORMAL INVESTIGATION PROCEDURE
4.
ROMANIA'S COMMENTS
5.
COMMENTS BY THIRD PARTIES
5.1.
Comments from alleged beneficiaries
5.1.1.
Commission's lack of competence to assess the contracts and their subsequent addenda
5.1.2.
No appropriate price benchmark
5.1.2.1.
OPCOM-PCCB was not an appropriate and valid price benchmark
5.1.2.2.
Other electricity traders' offer in the case of the contracts with ArcelorMittal
5.1.3.
Hidroelectrica acted like a private market vendor/without conferring any financial advantage on the alleged beneficiaries.
5.1.4.
No imputability to the State and no transfer of State resources
5.1.5.
No distortion of competition
5.1.6.
No selectivity
5.1.7.
No severability of the amendments from the initial contract
5.1.8.
The only reason why Hidroelectrica declared itself insolvent was to get out of its contractual obligations
5.2.
Comments from other interested parties
5.2.1.
Comments submitted by one of Alro's competitors
5.2.2.
Comments submitted by a citizen
6.
COMMENTS BY THE ROMANIAN AUTHORITIES ON THE OBSERVATIONS BY THIRD PARTIES
7.
ASSESSMENT
7.1.
Existence of State aid
7.2.
Assessment of possible economic advantage over market conditions
7.2.1.
Economic advantage over market conditions
— Contracts with electricity traders, electrode producers and Alro
— Contracts with ArcelorMittal
— The Commission's econometric analysis of long-term contract prices
7.3.
State resources and imputability to the State
8.
CONCLUSION
Article 1
Article 2
ANNEX I
OVERVIEW OF THE CONTRACTS
SA.33451 ELECTRICITY TRADERS |
Date of signature and contract period (initial period/after extension of period) |
Date of termination |
Quantity |
Price (RON/MWh) |
||||||||||||||||||
Alpiq RomEnergie |
3 April 2008 Initial period: 5 years Prolongation (2009): by 5 additional years (until 2018) |
20 July 2012 |
|
|
||||||||||||||||||
Alpiq RomIndustries |
29 November 2004 Initial period: 10 years Prolongation (2009): by 5 additional years (until end of 2019) |
20 July 2012 |
Initial quantity: 1 GWh
|
|
||||||||||||||||||
Energy Financing Team Romania (EFT) |
25 March 2004 Initial period: 7 years Prolongation (2010): by 5 additional years (until end of 2015) |
18 July 2012 |
Initial quantity (2006): […] GWh
|
|
||||||||||||||||||
Electrica |
Contract 111: 17 August 2010 Contract 112: 14 September 2010 |
Contract 111 31 July 2011 Contract 112 31 December 2010 |
Contract 111 […] GWh from September 2010 to 31 July 2011 Contract 112 […] GWh from October to December 2010 |
Contract 111
Contract 112
|
||||||||||||||||||
Electromagnetica |
21 April 2004 Initial period: 10 years |
30 April 2014 |
Initial quantity: […] GWh
|
|
||||||||||||||||||
Energy Holding |
14 January 2004 Initial period: 10 years |
24 July 2012 |
Initial quantity: 3 692 GWh
|
|
||||||||||||||||||
EURO-PEC |
3 March 2004 Initial period: 10 years |
26 June 2012 |
Initial quantity: […] GWh
|
|
||||||||||||||||||
Luxten-Lighting |
2 March 2004 Initial period: 10 years |
December 2011 |
Initial quantity: […] GWh
|
|
||||||||||||||||||
SA.33581 ELECTRODES PRODUCERS |
Date of signature and contract period (initial period/after extension of period) |
Date of termination |
Quantity |
Price (RON/MWh) |
||||||||||||||||||
Electrocarbon |
28 March 2003 Initial period: 5 years Prolongation (2004): by 5 additional years (until 31 March 2013) |
31 March 2013 |
Initial quantity: 800 GWh
|
|
||||||||||||||||||
ELSID |
18 December 2002 Initial period: 5 years Prolongation (2004): by 5 additional years (until 31 March 2013) |
31 March 2013 |
Initial quantity: 280 GWh
|
|
||||||||||||||||||
SA.33624 Alro |
Date of signature and contract period (initial period/after extension of period (if applicable)) |
Date of termination |
Quantity |
Price (RON/MWh) |
||||||||||||||||||
Alro |
8 September 2005 Initial period: 7 years Prolongation (2010): by 5 additional years (until 31 January 2018) |
Ongoing until end of 2018 |
Initial quantity: […] GWh
|
|
||||||||||||||||||
SA.33623 ARCELORMITTAL GALAŢI |
Date of signature and contract period (initial period/after extension of period (if applicable)) |
Date of termination |
Quantity |
Price (RON/MWh) |
||||||||||||||||||
ArcelorMittal |
23 December 2009 Period: 1 year 22 December 2010 Period: 1 year |
31 December 2010 6 January 2012 |
[…] GWh […] GWh |
2010: […] 2011: […] |
ANNEX II
ASSESSMENT OF THE ALLEGED ECONOMIC ADVANTAGE — ECONOMETRIC ANALYSIS
Rationale and description of the econometric analysis
Results of the econometric analysis
Dependent variable: Average price |
Coefficient |
Std error |
Annual quantity (GWh) |
– 0,01951** |
0,007878 |
|
|
|
Year 2008 |
22,58369*** |
4,781887 |
Year 2009 |
30,73545*** |
5,471158 |
Year 2010 |
21,32171*** |
5,695673 |
|
|
|
ALPIQ ROMENERGIE |
– 2,34966 |
9,310078 |
ALPIQ ROMINDUSTRIES |
– 5,47044 |
9,975876 |
ARCELORMITTAL GALATI |
– 1,78779 |
14,62595 |
AXPO ENERGY RO |
0,896041 |
10,40766 |
CE HUNEDOARA |
38,02612*** |
11,41575 |
CE OLTENIA |
27,86802*** |
9,458818 |
CEZ VANZARE |
9,515878 |
11,40325 |
EFT RO |
2,966594 |
18,83573 |
ELECTRICA |
9,787691 |
11,04511 |
ELECTROMAGNETICA |
– 9,19285 |
9,553932 |
ENEL ENERGIE MUNTENIA |
16,97181 |
12,529 |
ENERGY HOLDING |
– 34,5329*** |
9,620757 |
ENERGY NETWORK |
36,58137*** |
12,47443 |
EON ENERGIE |
3,589147 |
12,43953 |
EURO-PEC |
0,511251 |
9,50637 |
HIDROELECTRICA |
– 30,3327** |
12,62379 |
NUCLEARELECTRICA |
– 9,804 |
18,78678 |
OMV PETROM |
6,482914 |
18,79837 |
RAAN |
33,0402** |
14,6577 |
RENOVATIO TRADING |
29,5599 |
18,95553 |
TINMAR IND |
0 |
(omitted) |
|
|
|
Constant |
160,5678*** |
8,50624 |
|
|
|
Number of observations: 109 R-squared = 0,7426 Adjusted R-squared = 0,6691 |
|
|
Note: Prices are in RON/MWh Source: Commission's regression analysis based on the data submitted by the Romanian authorities. |
Name of customer |
Name of supplier |
Observed price |
Benchmark price |
Price difference (in absolute terms) |
In line with benchmark indices |
MDD contract in the dataset |
|||||
AZOMURES SA |
HIDROELECTRICA |
[…] |
124 |
[…] |
|
Contracts under investigation |
|||||
Alro |
HIDROELECTRICA |
[…] |
72 |
[…] |
Yes |
Energy Holding |
HIDROELECTRICA |
[…] |
50 |
[…] |
Yes |
EFT |
HIDROELECTRICA |
[…] |
127 |
[…] |
Yes |
Electromagnetica |
HIDROELECTRICA |
[…] |
111 |
[…] |
Yes |
EURO-PEC |
HIDROELECTRICA |
[…] |
111 |
[…] |
Yes |
Luxten-Lighting |
HIDROELECTRICA |
[…] |
125 |
[…] |
Yes |
ELSID |
HIDROELECTRICA |
[…] |
126 |
[…] |
No |
Electrocarbon |
HIDROELECTRICA |
[…] |
126 |
[…] |
No |
Note: Prices are rounded up to the nearest RON/MWh. Source: Calculations based on the regression analysis and on the data submitted by the Romanian authorities. |
Name of customer |
Name of supplier |
Observed price |
Benchmark price |
Price difference (in absolute terms) |
In line with benchmark indices |
MDD contract in the dataset |
|||||
PETROM SA |
Energy Holding |
[…] |
147 |
[…] |
|
Contracts under investigation |
|||||
Alro |
HIDROELECTRICA |
[…] |
94 |
[…] |
Yes |
Electromagnetica |
HIDROELECTRICA |
[…] |
133 |
[…] |
Yes |
EFT |
HIDROELECTRICA |
[…] |
149 |
[…] |
Yes |
Energy Holding |
HIDROELECTRICA |
[…] |
73 |
[…] |
Yes |
EURO-PEC |
HIDROELECTRICA |
[…] |
133 |
[…] |
Yes |
Luxten-Lighting |
HIDROELECTRICA |
[…] |
147 |
[…] |
No |
ELSID |
HIDROELECTRICA |
[…] |
148 |
[…] |
No |
Electrocarbon |
HIDROELECTRICA |
[…] |
149 |
[…] |
No |
Note: Prices are rounded up to the nearest RON/MWh. Source: Calculations based on the regression analysis and on the data submitted by the Romanian authorities. |
Name of customer |
Name of supplier |
Observed price |
Benchmark price |
Price difference (in absolute terms) |
In line with benchmark indices |
MDD contract in the dataset |
|||||
Ductil Steel SA |
Alpiq RomEnergie |
[…] |
187 |
[…] |
|
Contracts under investigation |
|||||
Alro |
HIDROELECTRICA |
[…] |
102 |
[…] |
Yes |
EURO-PEC |
HIDROELECTRICA |
[…] |
142 |
[…] |
Yes |
Alpiq RomEnergie |
HIDROELECTRICA |
[…] |
126 |
[…] |
Yes |
Electromagnetica |
HIDROELECTRICA |
[…] |
142 |
[…] |
Yes |
Energy Holding |
HIDROELECTRICA |
[…] |
116 |
[…] |
Yes |
EFT |
HIDROELECTRICA |
[…] |
157 |
[…] |
Yes |
Luxten-Lighting |
HIDROELECTRICA |
[…] |
156 |
[…] |
No |
ELSID |
HIDROELECTRICA |
[…] |
157 |
[…] |
No |
Electrocarbon |
HIDROELECTRICA |
[…] |
157 |
[…] |
No |
Note: Prices are rounded up to the nearest RON/MWh. Source: Calculations based on the regression analysis and on the data submitted by the Romanian authorities. |
Name of customer |
Name of supplier |
Observed price |
Benchmark price |
Price difference (in absolute terms) |
In line with benchmark indices |
MDD contract in the dataset |
|||||
SILCOTUB SA ZALAU |
Energy Network |
[…] |
214 |
[…] |
|
Contracts under investigation |
|||||
ArcelorMittal Galati |
HIDROELECTRICA |
[…] |
118 |
[…] |
Yes |
Electrica |
HIDROELECTRICA |
[…] |
132 |
[…] |
Yes |
Energy Holding |
HIDROELECTRICA |
[…] |
107 |
[…] |
Yes |
Alpiq RomEnergie |
HIDROELECTRICA |
[…] |
116 |
[…] |
Yes |
Electromagnetica |
HIDROELECTRICA |
[…] |
132 |
[…] |
Yes |
EURO-PEC |
HIDROELECTRICA |
[…] |
144 |
[…] |
Yes |
Alro |
HIDROELECTRICA |
[…] |
93 |
[…] |
Yes |
Luxten-Lighting |
HIDROELECTRICA |
[…] |
146 |
[…] |
Yes |
EFT |
HIDROELECTRICA |
[…] |
148 |
[…] |
Yes |
ELSID |
HIDROELECTRICA |
[…] |
147 |
[…] |
No |
Electrocarbon |
HIDROELECTRICA |
[…] |
148 |
[…] |
No |
Note: Prices are rounded up to the nearest RON/MWh. Source: Calculations based on the regression analysis and on the data submitted by the Romanian authorities. |
Sensitivity analysis
Name of customer |
Name of supplier |
Observed price |
Benchmark price |
Price difference (as a percentage) |
In line with benchmark indices |
MDD contract in the dataset |
|||||
AZOMURES SA |
HIDROELECTRICA |
[…] |
124 |
[…] % |
|
Contracts under investigation |
|||||
Alro |
HIDROELECTRICA |
[…] |
72 |
[…] |
Yes |
Energy Holding |
HIDROELECTRICA |
[…] |
50 |
[…] |
Yes |
EFT |
HIDROELECTRICA |
[…] |
127 |
[…] |
Yes |
Electromagnetica |
HIDROELECTRICA |
[…] |
111 |
[…] |
Yes |
EURO-PEC |
HIDROELECTRICA |
[…] |
111 |
[…] |
Yes |
Luxten-Lighting |
HIDROELECTRICA |
[…] |
125 |
[…] |
Yes |
ELSID |
HIDROELECTRICA |
[…] |
126 |
[…] |
No |
Electrocarbon |
HIDROELECTRICA |
[…] |
126 |
[…] |
No |
Note: Prices are rounded up to the nearest RON/MWh. Source: Calculations based on the regression analysis and on the data submitted by the Romanian authorities. |
Name of customer |
Name of supplier |
Observed price |
Benchmark price |
Price difference (as a percentage) |
In line with benchmark indices |
MDD contract in the dataset |
|||||
PETROM SA |
Energy Holding |
[…] |
147 |
[…] % |
|
Contracts under investigation |
|||||
Alro |
HIDROELECTRICA |
[…] |
94 |
[…] |
No |
Electromagnetica |
HIDROELECTRICA |
[…] |
133 |
[…] |
Yes |
EFT |
HIDROELECTRICA |
[…] |
149 |
[…] |
Yes |
Energy Holding |
HIDROELECTRICA |
[…] |
73 |
[…] |
Yes |
EURO-PEC |
HIDROELECTRICA |
[…] |
133 |
[…] |
Yes |
Luxten-Lighting |
HIDROELECTRICA |
[…] |
147 |
[…] |
No |
ELSID |
HIDROELECTRICA |
[…] |
148 |
[…] |
No |
Electrocarbon |
HIDROELECTRICA |
[…] |
149 |
[…] |
No |
Note: Prices are rounded up to the nearest RON/MWh. Source: Calculations based on the regression analysis and on the data submitted by the Romanian authorities. |
Name of customer |
Name of supplier |
Observed price |
Benchmark price |
Price difference (as a percentage) |
In line with benchmark indices |
MDD contract in the dataset |
|||||
Ductil Steel SA |
Alpiq RomEnergie |
[…] |
187 |
[…] % |
|
Contracts under investigation |
|||||
Alro |
HIDROELECTRICA |
[…] |
102 |
[…] |
Yes |
EURO-PEC |
HIDROELECTRICA |
[…] |
142 |
[…] |
Yes |
Alpiq RomEnergie |
HIDROELECTRICA |
[…] |
126 |
[…] |
Yes |
Electromagnetica |
HIDROELECTRICA |
[…] |
142 |
[…] |
Yes |
Energy Holding |
HIDROELECTRICA |
[…] |
116 |
[…] |
No |
EFT |
HIDROELECTRICA |
[…] |
157 |
[…] |
Yes |
Luxten-Lighting |
HIDROELECTRICA |
[…] |
156 |
[…] |
No |
ELSID |
HIDROELECTRICA |
[…] |
157 |
[…] |
No |
Electrocarbon |
HIDROELECTRICA |
[…] |
157 |
[…] |
No |
Note: Prices are rounded up to the nearest RON/MWh. Source: Calculations based on the regression analysis and on the data submitted by the Romanian authorities. |
Name of customer |
Name of supplier |
Observed price |
Benchmark price |
Price difference (as a percentage) |
In line with benchmark indices |
||||||||||
MDD contract in the dataset |
|||||||||||||||
ARCELORMITTAL GALAŢI |
Electrica |
[…] |
182 |
[…] % |
|
||||||||||
Contracts under investigation |
|||||||||||||||
ArcelorMittal Galați |
HIDROELECTRICA |
[…] |
118 |
[…] |
Yes |
||||||||||
Electrica |
HIDROELECTRICA |
[…] |
132 |
[…] |
Yes |
||||||||||
Energy Holding |
HIDROELECTRICA |
[…] |
107 |
[…] |
Yes |
||||||||||
Alpiq RomEnergie |
HIDROELECTRICA |
[…] |
116 |
[…] |
Yes |
||||||||||
Electromagnetica |
HIDROELECTRICA |
[…] |
132 |
[…] |
Yes |
||||||||||
EURO-PEC |
HIDROELECTRICA |
[…] |
144 |
[…] |
Yes |
||||||||||
Alro |
HIDROELECTRICA |
[…] |
93 |
[…] |
Yes |
||||||||||
Luxten-Lighting |
HIDROELECTRICA |
[…] |
146 |
[…] |
Yes |
||||||||||
EFT |
HIDROELECTRICA |
[…] |
148 |
[…] |
Yes |
||||||||||
ELSID |
HIDROELECTRICA |
[…] |
147 |
[…] |
No |
||||||||||
Electrocarbon |
HIDROELECTRICA |
[…] |
148 |
[…] |
No |
||||||||||
Note: Prices are rounded up to the nearest RON/MWh. Source: Calculations based on the regression analysis and on the data submitted by the Romanian authorities. |