Press Release: State aid: Commission opens in-depth inquiries into preferential electricity tariffs granted by Romanian hydroelectricity generator Hidroelectrica to various companies

The European Commission has opened five distinct in-depth investigations to assess whether the Romanian state-controlled hydropower producer Hidroelectrica S.A. purchased or sold electricity at preferential tariffs to several electricity traders, industrial clients and electricity producers, in order to favour beneficiaries by lowering their operating costs, increasing their revenues or a combination of the two, in breach of EU state aid rules. The opening of an in-depth investigation allows interested third parties to comment on the proposed measures. It does not prejudge the outcome of the investigation.