Costin Borc aims to avoid any risk of conflict of interests

Costin Borc not to handle green certificates’ exemption for big consumers

Newsroom 25/02/2016 | 10:58

Prime minister Dacian Ciolos has decided to delegate to state secretary, Claudiu Vrinceanu, at the Ministry of Economy, the application of the legislation regarding the exemption of acquisition of green certificates by big industrial electricity consumers.

The decision was published in the Official Gazette on Wednesday.

The government fears that the minister of Economy, Costin Borc, could risk being accused on conflict of interests. Prior to becoming minister, Borc was head of constructions material maker Lafarge Ciment Romania, which is enrolled in the support scheme for big consumers.

Ciolos stated in the decision that energy regulator ANRE has to establish by March 1 the mandatory annual quota regarding the acquisition of green certificates for 2015.

Under a state aid scheme rolled out at the end of 2014, large industrial consumers may receive exemptions of up to 85 percent from the acquisition of green certificates.

There are 37 companies benefitting from this measure, including steel maker ArcelorMittal Galati and the Petrobrazi Refinery of Austrian OMV Petrom.

This scheme is estimated to cost EUR 750 million and will run for 10 years, while the other individual consumers and small companies are set to foot the bill.