HotNews says 13%, Digi24 says "peste 7%" — one Hidroelectrica price rise

The rise. Hidroelectrica, Romania's largest state electricity producer, is charging households more from October. HotNews.ro reported it on 6 September, Digi24 on 7 September. Both name the same people: new customers, and customers whose contracts expire. Neither prints a figure the other can be checked against.

Outlet	The rise	What the number counts	Prices printed
HotNews.ro	13%	the energy alone, "fără tarife de rețea și taxe"	0.45 → 0.515 lei/kWh
Digi24	"peste 7%"	"8 lei la fiecare 100 de kWh consumați"	none

Both can be right. HotNews.ro prints the two prices and says they leave out network charges and taxes. Digi24 prints no prices and converts the rise to a household sum. If one counts the energy alone and the other the whole bill, the two figures are not in conflict. No report we hold says so, and neither mentions the other's number.

One voice on what comes next. Energy analyst Dumitru Chisăliță told Digi24 that other suppliers could follow, that "scenariul de 10-15% rămâne plauzibil", and that the rises could run to the end of the year or into 2027. He is the only person quoted anywhere in the three reports.

Not settled. Whether the two percentages measure the same money. How many of its more than 1.2 million customers hold an expiring contract: no report we hold says. And what Hidroelectrica says, because none of the three carries a word from it.

What this is about. Romania's biggest state-controlled power producer is raising the price it charges some households for electricity, and that decision tends to set the tone for the rest of the country's retail market.

How it got here. - Romania opened its household electricity market to competition in stages. Since then, households have bought power on contracts with a supplier of their choice, usually at a fixed price for a fixed term. - When energy prices jumped across Europe in 2021 and 2022, the Romanian government capped household electricity prices and paid suppliers the difference, as many other EU governments did. - The household cap ended on 30 June 2025. From then on, prices were set by the market again. - That makes the end of a contract the moment a household's price changes. Digi24 and HotNews.ro say the October rise applies to new customers and to customers whose contracts expire.

Who is involved. - Hidroelectrica runs most of Romania's hydropower dams. The Romanian state holds the majority of its shares. It has been listed on the Bucharest Stock Exchange since 2023. It also sells power directly to households: Digi24 puts its customers at more than 1.2 million. - Other suppliers compete for the same households. Energy analyst Dumitru Chisăliță told Digi24 that some may follow. - ANRE, the national energy regulator, oversees the market. It does not set competitive retail prices. - The government is both the company's owner and the authority that ended the cap. None of the three reports carries a word from it.

What is at stake. Hydropower is one of Romania's cheapest sources of electricity. The price a state-owned hydro producer charges therefore works as a reference for what households elsewhere in the market may pay. A rise at Hidroelectrica may simply mean bigger bills for its own customers. It may also be the first move in a wider repricing. The reports do not show which one it is.

Where it stands. The new price applies from October. The reports do not say how many households it reaches, and they do not agree on how big the rise is.

What is being argued about

The size of the October rise: 13% or over 7%
What each percentage counts, and whether network charges and taxes are in it
Who pays: new customers and expiring contracts, and how many that is
Whether other suppliers follow, on one analyst's estimate

What each report countsSide by side

Outlet	The rise	What the number counts	Prices printed	Company quoted
HotNews.ro	13%	the energy alone, "fără tarife de rețea și taxe"	0.45 → 0.515 lei/kWh	no
Digi24	"peste 7%"	"8 lei la fiecare 100 de kWh consumați"	none	no
Digi24 (analyst report)	10-15% forecast for other suppliers	an estimate for future offers, hedged twice	none	no

Columns are taken from the text of each report. "None" means the report does not carry it.

Sources

HotNews.ro

Digi24

The bias in this coverageBias

Thirteen percent or seven percent

Two reports give the same price rise and the numbers are nearly double each other. The one saying thirteen percent prints the old and new price per unit and says they exclude network tariffs and taxes; the one saying over seven percent prints neither. Neither report says what the other counted, so a reader cannot reconcile them.

2 reports giving a percentage 1 reports printing the old and the new price 1 reports saying what the percentage leaves out

Nobody counted the people it hits

The rise falls only on new customers and on those whose contracts expire. No report we hold says how many people that is; one gives the company's total customer base instead, which is a different number. None of the three carries a statement from the company in the text we hold.

0 reports counting the customers affected 1 reports giving the total customer base 0 reports carrying a company statement 1 reports quoting an outside expert

Scored without the mastheads. Where the two passes differ, both are kept.

Sources

HotNews.ro

Digi24

Claims and verdicts

disputed Hidroelectrica is raising its household price by 13%.

HotNews, citing Economica and customer notifications, says the price goes from 0.45 to 0.515 lei/kWh before network tariffs and taxes — 13%; Digi24 says more than 7%, or 8 lei per 100 kWh consumed. Neither says whether the other figure includes network tariffs and taxes.

Checked against 2 sources:

HotNews.ro

Digi24

true The higher price applies only to new customers and to those whose contracts are expiring.

HotNews says the increase hits customers whose contracts expire in October and new customers; Digi24 says the same of the offers sent in recent days. No report we hold says existing contracts are repriced.

Checked against 2 sources:

HotNews.ro

Digi24

unverified Other Romanian suppliers will follow with increases of 10–15%.

This is a forecast by one energy analyst, Dumitru Chisăliță, carried by Digi24 in two reports; no other report we hold tests it and no other supplier is quoted. Chisăliță also says the rises could run to the end of the year or into 2027.

Checked against 2 sources:

Digi24

Who wrote it

A Andreea Dobra Digi24

What the bias passes found in their reporting

Hedged forecast, single voice the forward-looking number is one named analyst's estimate, hedged twice×1

Hedged or stated a forecast of further rises carried on one named expert, hedged throughout×1

Measure named and sourced two different measures, each with what it counts and where it comes from×1

Measure named before comparing monthly and annual rises given separately, each with its base×1

Claims we checked that rest on their reporting

2 unverified

From 216 reports we hold under this byline, at Digi24. Two independent readings, each made without the masthead, a quote attached to every tag. A record, never a rating. Their full record →

A Alexandru Costea Digi24

What the bias passes found in their reporting

Figure chosen over seven percent, with no old and new price and no statement of what it counts×1

Measure chosen over 7 percent, with no before-and-after price given to check it against×1

Measure chosen the only report that translates the rise into a household sum×1

Who is affected, counted names who pays and how many customers the company has×1

Claims we checked that rest on their reporting

1 disputed1 unverified1 true

From 227 reports we hold under this byline, at Digi24. Two independent readings, each made without the masthead, a quote attached to every tag. A record, never a rating. Their full record →

A Andrei Georgescu HotNews.ro

What the bias passes found in their reporting

Figure chosen thirteen percent, computed by the report from the two prices it prints×1

Measure chosen gives the two prices and says what they exclude, then converts to 13 percent×1

Says what the figure counts states that the prices exclude network tariffs and taxes, so the rise is on the energy part only×1

Source named The junk-rating warning rests on one unnamed Fitch analyst, quoted second-hand from Bloomberg.×1

Claims we checked that rest on their reporting

1 disputed1 unverified1 true

From 260 reports we hold under this byline, at HotNews.ro. Two independent readings, each made without the masthead, a quote attached to every tag. A record, never a rating. Their full record →

The bylines on the reports this story is built from. Hover one for what our passes have measured on their reporting.

Coverage, outlet by outlet

Digi24 — independent

Scumpirea energiei anunțată de Hidroelectrica ar putea fi urmată de alți furnizori. Chisăliță: „Scenariul de 10-15% rămâne plauzibil” | Digi24

The only report looking forward: energy analyst Dumitru Chisăliță's estimate that other suppliers could come in 10-15% higher, possibly into 2027, and the only advice to readers, to check the ANRE price comparison tool.

Video Scumpirea energiei anunțată de Hidroelectrica ar putea fi urmată de alți furnizori. Chisăliță: „Scenariul de 10-15% rămâne plauzibil” Data actualizării: 07.09.2026 11:56 Data publicării: 07.09.2026 11:53 Clienții sunt sfătuiți să verifice ofertele din comparatorul ANRE. Foto: Profimedia Images Urmărește Digi24 în Google Discover Adaugă Digi24 ca sursă preferată în Google Din articol Clienții sunt sfătuiți să verifice ofertele din comparatorul ANRE Decizia Hidroelectrica de a majora prețul energiei pentru clienții ale căror contracte se apropie de expirare ar putea fi urmată și de alți fu

Hedged or stated: a forecast of further rises carried on one named expert, hedged throughout — “Acesta a estimat că noile oferte ar putea avea prețuri cu 10-15% mai mari și a avertizat că scumpirile ar putea continua până la sfârșitul anului sau chiar în 2027.”

Hedged forecast, single voice: the forward-looking number is one named analyst's estimate, hedged twice — “Acesta a estimat că noile oferte ar putea avea prețuri cu 10-15% mai mari și a avertizat că scumpirile ar putea continua până la sfârșitul anului sau chiar în 2027.”

Read it at Digi24 → https://www.digi24.ro/stiri/economie/energie/scumpirea-energiei-anuntat…

Digi24 — independent

Cresc prețurile la curent la Hidroelectrica. Cine va fi afectat | Digi24

The only report that turns the rise into money a household can hold — 8 lei per 100 kWh — and the only one that gives the company's size, more than 1.2 million customers.

Video Cresc prețurile la curent la Hidroelectrica. Cine va fi afectat Data actualizării: 07.09.2026 20:26 Data publicării: 07.09.2026 10:03 Foto: Getty Images Urmărește Digi24 în Google Discover Adaugă Digi24 ca sursă preferată în Google Din articol Precizările Hidroelectrica Hidroelectrica a anunțat creșterea prețului la energia vândută către populație cu peste 7% în ofertele transmise în ultimele zile. Aceasta înseamnă o scumpire de 8 lei la fiecare 100 de kWh consumați. Cei care vor suporta această scumpire sunt clienții noi, dar și cei cărora le expiră contractele. Compania de stat are pes

Figure chosen: over seven percent, with no old and new price and no statement of what it counts — “Hidroelectrica a anunțat creșterea prețului la energia vândută către populație cu peste 7% în ofertele transmise în ultimele zile.”

Who is counted: gives the company's total customers, not the number whose contracts expire — “Compania de stat are peste 1,2 milioane de clienți.”

Measure chosen: over 7 percent, with no before-and-after price given to check it against — “Hidroelectrica a anunțat creșterea prețului la energia vândută către populație cu peste 7% în ofertele transmise în ultimele zile.”

Measure chosen: the only report that translates the rise into a household sum — “Aceasta înseamnă o scumpire de 8 lei la fiecare 100 de kWh consumați.”

Who is affected, counted: names who pays and how many customers the company has — “Cei care vor suporta această scumpire sunt clienții noi, dar și cei cărora le expiră contractele. Compania de stat are peste 1,2 milioane de clienți.”

Read it at Digi24 → https://www.digi24.ro/stiri/economie/energie/cresc-preturile-la-curent-…

HotNews.ro — independent

Cel mai mare producător de energie electrică din România scumpește prețurile pentru o parte a populației - HotNews.ro

The only report we hold that prints both prices — 0.45 lei/kWh now, 0.515 from October — and says they exclude network charges and taxes; it credits the decision to Economica and to notifications its newsroom says it

Cel mai mare producător de energie electrică din România scumpește prețurile pentru o parte a populației - HotNews.ro Hidrolectrica a decis majorarea tarifelor pentru clienții cărora le expiră contractele în octombrie sau pentru clienții noi, scrie site-ul Economica. Potrivit notificărilor consultate de redacție și primite de o parte a populației, noul preț va fi din octombrie de 0,515 lei/kWh, fără tarife de rețea și taxe, față de nivelul de acum, de 0,45 de lei/kWh. Hidroelectrica este cel mai mare producător de energie regenerabilă din România.

Figure chosen: thirteen percent, computed by the report from the two prices it prints — “Asta înseamnă o scumpire de 13%.”

Says what the figure counts: states that the prices exclude network tariffs and taxes, so the rise is on the energy part only — “noul preț va fi din octombrie de 0,515 lei/kWh, fără tarife de rețea și taxe, față de nivelul de acum, de 0,45 de lei/kWh.”

What the report ends on: closes on the company's renewable credential, which has nothing to do with the price — “Hidroelectrica este cel mai mare producător de energie regenerabilă din România.”

Measure chosen: gives the two prices and says what they exclude, then converts to 13 percent — “noul preț va fi din octombrie de 0,515 lei/kWh, fără tarife de rețea și taxe, față de nivelul de acum, de 0,45 de lei/kWh.”

Where the figure came from: the rise is credited to another outlet, plus notifications the newsroom says it saw — “Hidrolectrica a decis majorarea tarifelor pentru clienții cărora le expiră contractele în octombrie sau pentru clienții noi, scrie site-ul Economica.”

Read it at HotNews.ro → https://hotnews.ro/cel-mai-mare-producator-de-energie-electrica-din-rom…

Checked, didn’t cover