The energy crisis has not disappeared. Although 2023–2024 brought a relatively stable period on international markets, 2025 is once again placing enormous pressure on energy costs, Romania’s infrastructure and household budgets. The causes are multiple: geopolitical instability in the region, rising industrial consumption, insufficient investment in generation, climate change, and the entry into force of European decarbonisation policies.
In this context, the Romanian government has announced new measures for households and companies, in an effort to keep bills at an affordable level without destabilising the domestic energy market.
1. Why is the energy crisis returning in 2025?
The current energy crisis continues the tensions that emerged in Europe in 2022, with the war in Ukraine. Although gas prices fell considerably in 2024, the geopolitical context remains extremely fragile.
The main reasons for the crisis’s return in 2025 are:
- Rising Russia–Ukraine tensions, which affect supply chains;
- Repeated attacks on Ukrainian energy infrastructure, which disrupt the regional market;
- Rising energy demand across Europe as industry recovers;
- Insufficient investment in domestic generation – Romania still depends partly on imports;
- Climate change, which brings periods of drought and reduces hydropower generation;
- New European decarbonisation legislation, which puts pressure on traditional producers.
So, although Romania has significant gas and electricity resources, prices are largely determined by the European market.
2. What will happen to Romanians’ bills? Will they rise?
According to analysts, 2025 will bring moderate increases in bills, though not on the scale seen in 2022. However, the stability seen in 2024 is coming to an end, and consumers will once again feel the pressure.
Electricity
The average price of electricity could rise by 5–12% in the first half of the year, depending on the supplier and the OPCOM market. The main reasons are lower hydropower generation, higher transmission costs and increases in regulated tariffs.
Natural gas
For gas, the expected increases are smaller, at between 3% and 7%, thanks to relatively stable domestic production. However, in the event of a harsher winter, Romania could import gas at higher prices, which would directly affect bills.
District heating
Cities with district-heating systems, such as Bucharest, Constanța, Iași, Timișoara and Oradea, will be affected most because of:
- major network losses;
- insufficient subsidies;
- dependence on natural gas.
Some municipalities have already announced the possibility of tariff increases of 15–25%.
3. New measures announced by the government for Romanians
The government has announced a new energy-measures package for 2025, aimed at protecting vulnerable consumers while also balancing the market.
3.1. Continued price caps
Price caps on electricity and gas will remain in place until the end of 2025, but with adjustments. The three main thresholds remain:
- 0.68 lei/kWh for low consumption (below 100 kWh/month);
- 0.80 lei/kWh for average consumption (100–255 kWh/month);
- more than 1.3 lei/kWh for high consumption.
For natural gas, the cap remains between 0.31 and 0.37 lei/kWh, depending on consumption.
3.2. New support for vulnerable consumers
The Ministry of Energy has introduced a new digital system for automatically identifying vulnerable consumers, so that aid can be provided without excessive bureaucracy.
Beneficiaries will receive:
- vouchers worth between 600 and 1,500 lei per season;
- bonuses for switching to efficient heating systems;
- subsidies for photovoltaic panels.
3.3. Compensation for consumption during peak hours
All household consumers will receive a discount of up to 10% if they shift their consumption outside peak hours (18:00–22:00). The measure is inspired by the German model.
3.4. Support for prosumers
The number of prosumers in Romania exceeded 140,000 in 2025, and the government has introduced:
- a new compensation system for more than 3 kWh fed into the grid;
- grants for storage batteries;
- simplified grid connections.
3.5. Investment in generation capacity
Over the medium term, the government and energy companies will invest in:
- the small modular reactors (SMRs) at Doicești;
- new gas- and hydrogen-fired power plants;
- offshore wind turbines in the Black Sea;
- Transelectrica and Transgaz transmission infrastructure.
If these projects are completed on time, Romania could become a net energy exporter after 2030.
4. How will Romania’s economy be affected?
The energy crisis has direct and indirect effects on Romania’s economy. Energy-intensive industries, such as steelmaking, chemicals, aluminium, cement and agriculture, are the first to be affected.
Higher energy prices have the following consequences:
- higher production costs;
- more expensive food products;
- generalised inflation;
- lower purchasing power;
- a possible reduction in exports.
However, economists say Romania has an advantage: it produces more than 75% of its energy domestically, reducing its dependence on imports.
5. What can Romanians do to reduce their bills?
Even though the state provides support, every household can reduce consumption through a few simple measures:
- replacing conventional light bulbs with LEDs;
- using ECO programmes on washing machines;
- reducing consumption during peak hours;
- insulating the home;
- purchasing photovoltaic panels;
- replacing old boilers with heat pumps.
Even small measures can reduce annual bills by 10–25%.
In 2025, Romania faces a new phase of the energy crisis. Although the situation is not as severe as it was in 2022, price increases and pressure on the market are inevitable. The government has introduced a series of measures to protect the population and the economy, but their effectiveness depends largely on implementation.
For more information on the economy, see also Romania’s 2025 budget situation and the new taxes: changes that will affect all Romanians, which provides additional details related to this subject.
The coming years will be defined by the energy transition and major investment in generation, storage and digitalisation. Romania has the resources needed to overcome the crisis—but it must act quickly and wisely.
