Evaluation of the Romanian electricity industry restructuring process in comparison with the experience in the United Kingdom

Restructuring of the Romanian electricity industry, currently in progress, requires development from a centralised, monopolistic structure, to a decentralised one having independent producers and a free market for consumers. It has parallels with, and differences from, the United Kingdom free electricity market evolution. The current progress towards a competitive market in Romania is compared with the experience in the UK, the first European market to reach fully competitive status. Consideration is given to the structural and strategic similarities and differences between the electricity industries and their influence on liberalisation processes in the two countries. The three stages projected for the Romanian restructuring are reviewed and progress in Romania is evaluated in relation to the experience in the United Kingdom.