Northeast Romania Leads in Energy Poverty
A new report from the Romanian Energy Poverty Observatory (ORSE) reveals that 30.9% of households in Romania's North-East region face extreme energy poverty, well above the national average of 20%. The 2024 report highlights that while slightly fewer households spend over 10% of their budget on energy (down to 34% in 2023 from 37.3% in 2021), energy poverty remains a severe issue, also affecting middle- and higher-income households, CE Report quotes Agerpres
The Low Income High Costs (LIHC) indicator holds steady at around 10%, reflecting how energy expenses push some households below the poverty line. Notably, about 20% of households are underconsuming energy due to financial constraints, while another 20% overconsume due to inefficient housing.
Other severely affected regions include South-West Oltenia (29.4%) and the South-East (19.1%), with energy burdens exceeding 10% of income, particularly in areas with poor housing infrastructure.
ORSE experts emphasize the need for targeted measures—like building refurbishment, expanded green energy access, and coordinated financial support—to alleviate this critical issue.
