“In addition to the classic functions, regulating competitive prices, it must incorporate the objective of decarbonization. That is, traditional regulation linked to the proper functioning of markets and prices must also include the objective of decarbonization,” with these words the Minister for the Transition Energy Minister, Teresa Ribera, announced this Tuesday the recovery of the National Energy Commission as an independent body of the National Markets and Competition Commission, chaired by Cani Fernández.
As Ribera explained, the new body adds the specific regulatory functions of the sector, as well as advising on conflicts between companies in the sector. In addition, it will have under its umbrella, in addition to electricity and gas, new elements such as renewable gases and green hydrogen.
The new Energy Commission will also have among its objectives inspection functions and the resolution of consumer complaints.
The draft law, which will be put up for consultation starting today, also creates a specific fund to facilitate greater transparency of the funds from the regulated activities that correspond to the operators of these services. “This is a financial tool that the General Intervention of the State Administration (IAGE) has been demanding for some time to facilitate the control of the flows of money managed by the organization related to the electrical system and its own,” explained the minister.
For her part, Teresa Ribera has expressed her interest in the development of the creation process of this new body being carried out through the “urgent procedure” so that it is underway “before the end of the year.”
A date that Ribera sees as feasible to the extent that the informal meetings that the Government has had on this issue with the rest of the political groups have been able to “verify that they are inclined to recover a specialized organization given the importance of the reform of the energy system that must be addressed.”
Before this happens, the proposal announced this Tuesday is open to public contributions from all sectors. “And, of course, to those that come from the current National Markets and Competition Commission, which as responsible until now for this regulation has a lot to say,” Ribera assured.
The new organization is expected to have three general directorates. One for electrical regulation, another for gas regulation and a third for inspection, as explained by the minister who has refused to answer the question raised by the media about what the cost will be.
On the other hand, the royal decree that the Ministry for the Energy Transition brought to the Council of Ministers this Tuesday includes an update of the regulation of CO2 emission rights to adapt it to the requirements of the European Union.
Among the new developments, it stands out that maritime navigation companies are incorporated into this rights market, the objectives of the aviation sector are expanded and reviewed, and “for the first time” mobility energy providers as well as energy suppliers are included as actors in this market. involved in the rehabilitation of services.
In such a way that the reduction of emissions from its activities will be considered when accessing the social climate fund that the European Union has created with the aim of financing the rehabilitation of buildings.
Another great novelty regarding emission rights is that “border adjustments” are created for companies that import services and come from outside the European Union. “They must justify their environmental commitment to establish a fair game of balance in environmental efforts,” said Ribera.
