By Petre Barac
Copyright thediplomat
The President of ANRE (Romania’s National Energy Regulatory Authority), George Niculescu, was today elected Vice President of the Board of Regulators within ACER – the European Union Agency for the Cooperation of Energy Regulators.
The appointment was made by consensus in Copenhagen, during the 134th meeting of the Board of Regulators (BoR). The mandate takes effect immediately, lasts for two and a half years, and is not remunerated. The Board of Regulators is responsible for shaping energy regulation policy at the European level. For the first time, Romania now can participate directly and actively in the regulation of the EU’s energy policy.
At the same meeting, Emmanuelle Wargon was elected Chair of the Board of Regulators, while Volker Zuleger was appointed Interim Director of ACER. At national level, Emmanuelle Wargon has been heading CRE – the French energy regulator – since August 2022, while George Niculescu has served as President of ANRE since April 2023.
On his election as Vice President of ACER, George Niculescu stated: “This election represents an opportunity: to turn pressure into predictability. My aim is to work at European level with a clear framework – PACT: Predictability, Fair Enforcement, Consistency in regulations, and Transparency. Integration of flexibility (storage, demand-response), coherent rules for cross-border capacities, boosting the competitiveness of European economies and consumer trust, as well as clear rules in the energy market – these are my priorities.
The energy sector continues to operate in a complicated context. Disinformation campaigns and energy-related propaganda infiltrate our public agenda with alarming efficiency. Their purpose is not to provide alternative solutions, but to undermine trust in our institutions. That is why I believe the regulatory environment must now include cyber-preparedness protocols, public communication strategies, and exchange information in cooperation with other institutions. The European energy sector, like Romania’s, is running a marathon, not a sprint – which is why we need long-term adequate regulations, not short-term narrow visions.
For Romania, my election in this position is an opportunity for strengthened representation at EU level. ACER brings together national regulators and sets common directions for market design, adequacy, and integrity.”
