​The legislative initiative in the parliament provides assistance of up to 750 lei for unprotected consumers for the installation of radiator distributors, and the period until which this equipment is mandatory will be extended by one year, until December 31. 2024. But the distributors of the installations will stir up scandals between the neighbors if the law does not stipulate the minimum temperature that we must have in the house, because some will close the distributors and get heat from the neighbors, says Claudio Kretzu, the chairman from Elzen.

Installation of distributors on radiators should have been mandatory since 2005, but the deadline was extended five times until the end of this year, and those who do not have this equipment face a fine of 1,000 lei.

The initiative submitted to the parliament a few days ago extends the deadline until December 31, 2024 and provides for the provision of assistance to disadvantaged sections of the population.

Claudio Kretsu, CEO of Electrocentrale Bucharest (Elcen), warns that this measure risks igniting huge scandals in the owners’ associations if other measures are not taken, such as the introduction of a minimum temperature that we must maintain in apartments. .

“Elcen produces thermal energy and sells it near the plant’s fence. “Thermoenergetika” takes it from the fence of the plant and takes it to the meter, which is located in the basement of the quarter. From this moment on, the objects and all responsibility rests with the homeowners association. The obligation to have distributors is aimed at energy efficiency, that is, everyone pays for what they consume.

However, it was introduced in Romania 15 years ago and many people no longer want these distributors. And I explain what happened. Distributors were installed and some realized that they could stop it: we don’t pay anything anymore and let’s stay warm with our neighbors.

Thermal energy is transferred through the walls. Some stopped everything, the costs went to others, and a scandal began between the neighbors: why do some pay hundreds of lei, and others nothing? Because some people stopped and got warm from their neighbors,” says Kretsu.

From his point of view, it is advisable to have a repair system and a faucet with a thermostat, but with the impossibility of lowering the temperature below, which ensures the health of the population and the safety of the construction.

“For example, 19-20 degrees is the minimum and from here everyone can do as much as they want at home. The moment you allow people to turn off the radiators, the system becomes a joke because heat is exchanged between apartments. Hence the scandal and hence this resistance of people not to put their distributors.

I have exactly the same problem on the stairs, in the block where I live. Some want hawkers, those who think they’re going to close, that they’re going for the weekend, they’re going to the country, and they think they want to close to pay less. Others who know I stay there don’t want to, that’s just the way it is. You should usually have a thermostatic faucet that you can’t turn off. The moment you have the opportunity to stop it, it’s called a scandal.”

For his part, Adrian Teodorescu, CEO of Termoenergetica, says that such a system with a minimum temperature in the house is also practiced at the EU level:

“At the level of the European Union, a thermal minimum of 17 degrees has been established, which should also be provided for in our country with regard to this distribution. Even if in a condominium some consumers close these columns and leave, they should be obliged to ensure this minimum temperature, which is also related to health,” says Teodorescu.

The planned subvention budget exceeds the required one

The legislative initiative in parliament belongs to a group of parliamentarians PNL, PSD and UDMR, and was announced with trumpets and trumpets by the Ministry of Energy, led by the liberal Sebastián Burduja, one of the signatories.

However, the budget provided for this measure significantly exceeds the need.

The explanation states that approximately 275,000 houses do not have these distributors, and the budget of the scheme is 375 million lei (the money will come from the Modernization Fund).

“The cost of purchasing and installing a dispenser, as well as a control valve a

heat energy consumption is approximately 125 lei for each radiator, so it can reach

750 lei for an apartment with four rooms and outbuildings,” the mentioned document says.

This means that for 275,000 apartments without distributors, the total costs will be 206 million lei, which is well below the scheme’s budget.

And not all these apartments will receive a subsidy, but only unprotected consumers, so the need will be even less. The draft regulation does not indicate how many are vulnerable who do not have distributors.

It is also shown that the subsidies will be distributed to those who also receive energy assistance of 1,400 lei on the same card issued by Post Romania, but after the dispensers have been installed.

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