The enterprise’s gas sales fell 12.5 percent in the first two months of 2009 alone, partly because of a suspension of deliveries of gas imported from Russia, at the beginning of this year. The drop in natural gas imports has not affected the delivery price to Romgaz’s clients, said company officials.
The decline in deliveries was also caused by the problems that the company’s clients were confronted with, especially those operating in the chemical industry. “Gas sales to major consumers in the chemical industry, that decided to temporarily halt their activities, dropped in the first quarter,” said Romgaz officials.
Moreover, company officials added that a series of clients, including Amarad SA Arad, GHCL Upsom Romania, Electrocentrale Deva, Electrocentrale Galati, CET Iasi and Terma Serv, began registering payment arrears. Romgaz officials indicated that overdue receivables surged 35 percent compared to March 2008, to RON 361.6 mln (€84.76 mln) as of 31 March 2009.
