ROMANIA ENERGY AND INFRASTRUCTURE STRATEGY November 7, 2002 INTRODUCTION 1. The purpose of this paper is to develop a business strategy for World Bank support to the Romanian infrastructure and energy sectors. The paper adheres to two underlying principles: (i) World Bank support has to closely complement the activities of the private sector and other donors; and (ii) World Bank support should be designed in the context of the institution's overarching mission of poverty reduction. Therefore, the paper reviews first the prospects for private sector participation in various sub-sectors of energy and infrastructure. It then describes the activities of other major donors in order to identify outstanding policy and investment gaps. In the final section, the paper explains the World Bank's global priorities and derives a set of proposed activities for implementation in the next five years. COUNTRY CONTEXT 2. Romania is in the middle of a transition to a modern open society, aspiring to join the European Union (EU) in 2007. This process of transition has not been smooth. In the past decade, Romania generally followed a cautious and gradualist approach to reform. There is nevertheless cause for optimism. Economic growth is accelerating and inflation is moderating. A growth rate of about 4.0-4.5% is projected for year 2002 (as against an average of negative 0.7% per annum over the 1990s), and inflation is expected to fall to about 22% by the end of the year (from about 40% in 2001). Special attention is needed to ensure that the benefits of expected growth also reach the poorer sections of the society, which have been hit by the past decade of adjustment and stagnation. As Romania sets out to address its past energy and infrastructure investment and maintenance shortfalls, the pressure to increase user charges will intensify. Low income households are already struggling with their utility bills. This paper highlights the importance of providing for the energy and infrastructure needs of low-income households and the potential for doing so more cost-effectively through better targeting of subsidy support. 3. The EU is already Romania’s main trading partner, accounting for some 70% of exports. Although actual EU membership is not imminent, reforms are heavily driven by EU requirements, and Romania is benefiting from significant pre-accession aid from the EU itself and other European institutions including the European Investment Bank (EIB) and the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD). Furthermore, as accession draws nearer, the volume of EU aid is expected to continue to increase. Assistance by donors such as the World Bank has to be carefully coordinated so as to complement this significant and increasing European support to Romania. 4. Economic stagnation for most of the 1990s meant less demand on Romania’s energy and infrastructure sectors, which also led to inadequate investments and insufficient maintenance and rehabilitation of aging facilities and networks. Now that Romania’s economic growth is accelerating, pressure on energy and infrastructure services will increase. This is far more than a sectoral issue. Adequate supply of energy and availability of infrastructure are essential prerequisites for achieving sustainable economic growth. Without economic growth momentum, it will be difficult for Romania to both implement its social programs/poverty alleviation agenda and improve and maintain necessary fiscal discipline for sustainable development. Romania’s desire to join the European Union adds to the country’s energy and infrastructure challenges the need to comply with various EU directives and other minimum standards. Considerable technical skills and a well-educated labor-force able to learn more are available. Private sector management skills and private financing will be needed - public sector skills and public finances alone will not suffice. This paper examines the potential for attracting the private sector into various sub-sectors of energy and infrastructure. 5. Improvements in Romania’s energy and infrastructure services are also needed to improve the quality of life of individuals - including helping Romania improve maternal health, reduce child mortality, contain diseases, and improve primary education. Health benefits of electricity, gas, district heating, and clean air and water, are substantial 1 and undisputed. Access to energy and infrastructure is a prerequisite and contributor to educational advancement, through means such as electricity for lighting and school transport for students. Lack of clean water and sewerage cause health and environmental problems. Actual shortages, system bottlenecks and supply inefficiencies in basic energy and infrastructure services burden households. Lack of access to transport infrastructure and services affects integration into markets and constrain household incomes. Improvements in the quality of life of individuals through better energy and infrastructure services will also contribute to achieving global objectives spelled out in the Millennium Development Goals (MDG), which the international community, including Romania and institutions such as the World Bank, are committed to pursuing. 6. About 45% of Romania’s population still live in rural areas and largely depend on agriculture (which employs ¾ of working rural residents). It appears unlikely that agriculture and rural areas in general would be able to sustain and retain such a large share of the population and workforce. It appears even more unlikely that Romania could sustain annual growth at 4-5% with such reliance on agriculture and rural areas for employment. Determined rural development efforts notwithstanding, Romania’s challenge will be to offer realistic and attractive alternatives in urban areas, to those people who decide to leave or are effectively forced to move out of rural areas (due to unemployment/underemployment or perceived lack of prospects). Otherwise an increasing number of rural residents might head to Bucharest and maybe a few other large cities, and abroad particularly after Romania enters the EU, with potentially severe financial, social and environmental consequences from unbalanced development of the country. Romania’s success in meeting this urbanization challenge will be determined to a large extent by its ability to develop sustainable and functional cities/growth centers, including the provision of modern energy and infrastructure services. This paper 1 As just one example, a recent global study of 60 countries found that access to electricity is the most important single factor in reducing child mortality in urban areas. 2 highlights that energy and infrastructure facilities in most urban areas in Romania are currently not up to meeting such a challenge. OUTSTANDING ISSUES IN ENERGY AND INFRASTRUCTURE 7. Natural Gas. The gas sector has been unbundled, in part in preparation for complying with the EU gas directive. Gas production by Petrom and another state company Romgaz has stagnated, in part due to low well-head gas prices (1/3 of import prices), set by the state. Retail gas tariffs, even after very significant adjustments last year, remain low (about ½ of the cost of supplying imported gas), reflecting low well- head prices for domestic gas. Such pricing practices involve substantial implicit subsidization of gas consumers as domestic gas is priced much below its economic opportunity cost, gas imports (imports account for about ¼ of domestic gas consumption). This implicit subsidy exceeds US$1 billion per annum. This is equivalent to over 2% of GDP - it is not surprising that gas pricing/subsidization is one of the two key indicators that IMF tracks in the energy sector. For example, this subsidy is greater than projected annual investments needs in water and district heating. Furthermore, all consumers benefit from the subsidy, without targeting support to low- income households. 8. Were gas priced closer to its economic opportunity cost, consumers would get better price signals about the true value of gas, and higher prices would encourage more efficient use. The government could earn substantial tax revenues, by taxing the increased profits from current domestic production. Gas exploration and development would get a major boost, and over time this could result in higher production, additional tax revenues, and a lower gas import bill to the country. Prices can not and should not be brought to import parity level overnight, but gradually in a phased manner, so that consumers are able to adjust to and actually pay the higher prices. Last year, retail prices were raised by 90%. The impact on the demand for gas marginal, suggesting that gas remains a highly attractive fuel choice and scope for further adjustments remain. As the current flat structure of retail tariffs applies across-the-board to all consumers (except those eligible to negotiate directly with gas producers and suppliers), substantial scope for improving the structure and targeting support to low-income households exists. Another impact of current gas pricing is that it contributes to making district heating (DH) more expensive than gas for heating purposes. This in part causes customers to switch from what could be least-cost DH systems to what could be economically costlier individual gas heating. Another reason for switching is the often poor and unreliable DH service compared to the quality and reliability of the supply of gas. 9. Coal. The coal sector is operating at a loss. Prices of domestic coal and lignite are reasonably well in line with coal import prices, but mining costs are higher and domestic mines are therefore incurring losses. Government is covering these losses partially, with modest subsidies that have been declining in recent years. Mine safety is a pressing issue. Consolidation is necessary, otherwise even potentially profitable mines will not get adequate investments (including mine safety) as resources are wasted to keep the higher cost mines in operation. Out of a total of about 230 mines and quarries, the 3 Government’s 2001 energy strategy states that its target for closings in the 2001-04 period is 190 mines and quarries. 10. The Government is considering the merger of some mines with Termoelectrica’s power stations for which they supply coal, under a holding company umbrella. This might improve the finances of the coal company in the case of unprofitable mines, but shifting the burden to the power company does not by itself address the fundamental issues. Termoelectrica is not equipped to deal with coal mining. Fundamental issues of closing unprofitable mines in a socially and environmentally responsible manner and modernizing profitable mines remain. 11. Electricity. Power sector entities have gone though several reorganization and restructuring turmoils as the sector has been unbundled, creating hydro, nuclear and thermal generators, a grid company, and eight regional distributors under Electrica. Through a series of tariff adjustments, overall tariff revenue has been brought up to cover the cost of supply. Cross-subsidies have been largely eliminated and a life-line tariff rate is provided (for 60kWh/monthly consumption). As electricity consumption is strongly correlated to income and as access to electricity is virtually universal, a life-line rate works well to support low-income households in Romania. This is well-functioning subsidy mechanism. In the near future, attention should clearly be focused on other sectors, to water and particularly to gas and district heating, to improve the provision and targeting of subsidies to the poor. Later, Romania could consider gradually phasing out this life-line rate support as part of price/subsidy reforms which provide direct cash support to poor households 2. 12. Romania has started the liberalization of its power market, along the lines of EU directives, which require member countries to allow a gradually increasing share of power to be contracted between eligible customers and producers. However, some fundamental issues remain to be resolved before a well-functioning market can emerge and before the sector can operate within the larger regional and eventually European networks. At present 33% of the market is in principle liberalized, but the actual share 2 Instead of trying to establish life-line rates and other separate schemes for each service separately, the government (at the national and local level) could provide direct cash subsidies/income support to low- income households and let them decide how to allocate the subsidy/income support among various energy and infrastructure (and other) services. The total amount of income support per each low-income household, to be reasonable and sufficient, would probably have to be higher than the amounts currently provided for under various energy subsidy schemes. However, this higher amount of income support for low-income households could probably be funded and the government could still realize budget savings by utilities/service providers charging and recovering from their other customers the full cost of their energy and infrastructure services. This is, of course, a major undertaking in practice: (i) it is difficult to accurately identify genuinely poor households; and (ii) targeting subsidies/income support to the identified poor will be challenged by various “non-poor” groups who benefit from current tariffs/subsidies and will try to preserve them. Typically the “non-poor” have powerful ways to get their views across while the voices of the genuinely poor are often the weakest and easiest to ignore, further complicating the process of identification and targeting. Therefore, the move to direct cash subsidies has to be carefully prepared and implemented. In the meantime, Romania could help poor households by retaining the life-line rate in electricity and improving subsidy schemes in gas, district heating and water. 4 of bilateral contracts is only about 10% of total power sales, and there is limited competition in power generation. This is largely because of the structure of the generation sector. Real and meaningful “mainstream” competition in power generation would require inter alia splitting Termoelectrica and privatizing many of its plants, possibly in groups which would also include units of Hidroelectrica. Measures such as these would probably be required to create an environment in which various independent thermal/hydro generators could compete for the business of eligible customers and the best (most credible and creditworthy) of the discoms. Large-scale supply from new plants - e.g. combined cycle gas stations, typically a major source of competition in power sector restructurings - is not an immediate option/competition threat. In Romania, the renovation of existing capacity seems to be the most economic option - hence the need to divest plants to promote competition. 13. Plans to divest plants should be carefully prepared with a realistic sequence and time-table. It may well be necessary to consider starting with the privatization of generation plants with contracts to supply specified clients at specified tariffs, and then move to more open and hopefully more competitive structures over time. Allowing investors to own both generation and distribution companies may also be something to consider for some of the later discom and generation privatizations, to raise the level of investor interest. The key issue for Romania right now and in the medium-term is to secure sufficient (substantial) investments to rehabilitate power stations, so that the power sector is able to efficiently meet growing demand. Contracts might be one feasible option to provide the kind of predictability prospective investors may be looking for in the sector. By limiting the duration of the contracts, and the share of total plant output covered by the contracts, Romania would retain flexibility to move to increase competition when “the time is right”, i.e. when system conditions allow for that. The physical requirements of power transmission in such a market would also have to be assessed and provided for, as the current transmission system has obviously not been designed for that kind of flexibility. ANRE (the regulator) and OPCOM (the market operator) would also need technical assistance and capacity building support for the establishment, operation and regulation of a well-functioning wholesale market for this new industry structure. 14. District heating is the weakest sub-sector in energy and infrastructure and constrains urban development in Romania. Central and local authorities are facing a very difficult situation, not only because of the complex and deteriorating economic status of this sector, but also because of its impact on low income households. There are some 250 systems (earlier there may have been as many as 600 systems according to some reports), but many are no longer in operation. According to recent Ministry of Public Administration information, 179 systems are in operation in cities and towns across Romania, supplying heat for around 6.9 million inhabitants (31% of total population, or about 71% of urban population). Most of these operations make losses and burden local budgets and/or do not receive sufficient subsidies. Indicative estimates suggest that the average cost of heat production and supply is about US$ 24/Gcal. Maximum tariff is set by the national reference price, adjusted to US$20/Gcal in August. The difference between the cost and national reference price is to be met by a 5 government subsidy, shared by the local government concerned (55%) and the State (45%), with the latter obligated to pay its part only if the former pays its part. Some local governments provide the subsidy, which then burdens limited local budgets. Most local governments provide only a fraction of the required subsidy, but lose the matching national government support and are faced with deteriorating heat supply. 15. District heating provides a special immediate challenge in Romania. As part of the reorganization of the power sector, the Government is in the process of transferring 17 combined heat and power (CHP) plants of its thermal generator (Termoelectrica) to the cities and towns to which they supply heat. Electricity business is a profitable one for Termoelectrica (subject to bill collection) but its heat business (supply of district heat to cities and towns) is a loss-making business. In addition, now that bill collection from electricity customers has improved substantially, arrears for heat account for an increasing share of Termoelectrica’s new receivables. Transfer of the heat business would solve that problem, (and substantially improve one of the two key indicators that IMF tracks in the energy sector). However, in the absence of adequate support, it is likely that most of the cities and towns will have great problems with these facilities. Some will probably default to the fuel suppliers to the CHP plants, some may not be able to keep the plants in operation at all - and some probably should be closed, being unsuited for the required level of service. Commercially-oriented CHP/district heating companies would have to be developed for this transfer to be truly meaningful – but this is not going to be an easy undertaking under Romanian conditions. Some of the companies could be considered for some form of private participation to attract the necessary management skills and finance, but dependence on public finance (investment and subsidies) cannot be readily avoided. 16. Major programs were started in the past decade to restructure Romania’s transport infrastructure and service systems. Due to the huge investment backlog and the slow down of reforms in both roads and railways, transport shortcomings pose barriers to social and economic cohesion in the country and burden public finances. The rapid and combined growth of motorization and entrepreneurship has led to more flexible and efficient logistic services, but still much remains to be done. At the same time, road traffic growth is an environmental and safety challenge, particularly for cities. 17. Roads. Romania’s road system may be adequate in length and coverage, but the capacity of the network is too small and its quality unsatisfactory for modern road traffic. Main roads pass through villages and towns, and have numerous direct access points to land, which result in low traffic speeds and high accident rates. The secondary (collector, county) road network is in poor condition and has not received sufficient maintenance for years. The rehabilitation/maintenance backlog could be as high as US$4 billion. The situation is especially serious in many urban areas, and therefore, by-passes have a high priority. By-passes would also reduce urban pollution by alleviating congestion when long-distance (truck) traffic moves to utilize the by-passes. The fairly extensive network of local roads is also in need of maintenance and rehabilitation. Such work is being initiated in selected rural areas, relying on communities taking the lead and responsibility. Possibly the greatest emerging bottlenecks are going to be around and in 6 urban centers (towns and municipalities) and in the inadequate secondary road networks connecting urban centers in various counties, carrying traffic from the rural areas and feeding traffic to the main highways and new transport corridors. This is a complex problem and its solution will have to address institutional issues/responsibilities, fund allocations between national and local roads and the selection of urban areas to be supported. 18. Transportation has become an important area in the European integration process, and in the case of Romania, also a concern as the country fails to utilize its geo-political significance in transit. Major transport projects along the Pan-European corridors are either underway or relatively well-prepared. They are mostly supported by the EU, EIB and EBRD. 19. The Romanian Railways has been in the forefront of restructuring among the ECA countries. To some extent it also compares well with any railways in Western Europe. Romania has restructured and unbundled its railways into separate companies for freight and passenger transport and railway infrastructure, and licensed additional private freight transport operators. Romanian Railways has also developed with IBRD support a modern integrated railway information system (IRIS) backboned by a fiber optic telecom network. Fundamental problems remain to be addressed, however, in spite of these exemplary structural reforms. The number of employees has been reduced 30%, but additional cuts are needed. Tariffs for passenger services do not cover the costs of the passenger railway company, and the access charges do not cover the costs of the railway infrastructure company. Currently all the railway companies are making losses, and are a serious burden on state budget (about 0.6% of the GDP). 20. A number of ways to reduce costs and increase revenues have been identified. The railways have much excess track. About 1/2 the track length is unproductive, and numerous stations and halts should also be closed. This would enable substantial reductions in maintenance costs, reduce personnel, and improve maintenance on well- traveled segments. The railways should also sell unproductive real estate and other interests and focus on its core businesses. This would also result in one time revenue increase. In order to increase revenues on a more sustainable basis, railway management should be strengthened and the IRIS system and point-to-point costing models put into extensive use, to improve planning, operations and financial management. Travel speeds need to be increased to attract more railway customers, especially in freight. Further investments are also needed to help improve customer service, starting with electronic interlocking systems and the expansion of the IRIS system to automate train dispatching. 21. Finally, there is scope for better inter-modal coordination in managing the continuation of the reforms and transition to market economy conditions, in terms of scheduling of road construction and adjustments in rail service. Rail transport is typically least efficient and most unprofitable for moving small volumes over short distances – most of rail traffic in Romania. Rail is most competitive in the transport of high volumes over long distances – mostly international traffic in Romania. The current 7 substantial government subsidies to passenger traffic on rail (cost recovery is 60% at best) and the poor condition of roads, as well as the lack of franchising institutions, slow down the emergence of private bus operators and the shift of passenger traffic from rail to roads. If rail passenger subsidies are cut or re-directed, rail tariffs are raised, roads and a viable franchising system developed, bus transport will quickly take a substantial market share and offer services at affordable price. 22. Water. Romania is also on the forefront of ECA region’s water sector reforms in Bucharest, where the system has been privatized. Outside of Bucharest and perhaps a few other large cities, the outlook for the rest of the country is much more problematic. Most cities and municipalities across the country are struggling, and only a small fraction of them have been able to launch projects to modernize their water supply and sewerage systems. Water tariffs vary and reliable nation-wide information is not available, but charges are reportedly typically only a fraction of the cost of service, covering operating and maintenance at best. 23. Given the difficult situation in the urban areas, it is remarkable that work on water supply (and rural roads) is being initiated in selected rural areas across the country, with communities taking the lead and responsibility. Romania faces a major challenge in developing new rural networks. It might be more advisable to focus on rehabilitating existing (often non-performing) systems in urban areas; and in the rural areas look for ways to support household-based solutions such as wells for water supply instead of rural networks throughout the country. Urbanization 24. Romania’s regional development policies are aimed at reducing disparities and countering the adverse impacts of restructuring and lay-offs. However, EU experience suggests that attempting to reduce disparities might be futile and the focus should be on wider structural adjustment towards competitive regional economies. The findings of the Bank’s review of its experience in urban development are very similar to the EU experience. If cities and towns are to promote the welfare of their residents they should be: (i) livable; (ii) competitive; (iii) well governed and managed; and (iv) bankable/creditworthy. Romania’s success in meeting the urbanization challenge will be determined to a large extent by its ability to develop such cities/growth centers rather than spreading its resources across the country trying to reduce disparities. 25. Adequate infrastructure is a prerequisite for attracting and retaining entrepreneurs to develop economic activities and create jobs, as well as for improving the quality of life of existing and new urban residents. For a city to be livable, it needs to be able to offer its citizens a clean environment, water supply and sanitation, transport, heating, housing, etc, as part of providing a decent quality of life and equitable opportunity for all residents. To achieve the goal of being livable requires employment, incomes and investment – by competitive firms of all sizes. Without adequate energy supply and infrastructure, it will be difficult to attract and retain entrepreneurs and for them to build up such competitive firms. Improving the livability and competitiveness of cities places 8 great demands on urban governance and management. Bankability here means financial soundness in the treatment of revenues and expenditures, and increasingly a level of creditworthiness permitting access to capital markets under market-based municipal credit systems. This brief discussion of the four dimensions of sustainable and functional cities highlights the need for an approach integrated across physical environment, infrastructure, finance, institutions and social activities – poorly managed urbanization results in missed economic opportunity and significant social and environmental costs. Urban Infrastructure Finance 26. Raising resources for the financing of urban infrastructure - water and sewerage systems, roads and district heating - is emerging as a major challenge. The responsibility for such local infrastructure was transferred from the State government to local governments as part of a broader decentralization agenda. Corresponding budget resources have not been made available and the private sector is unlikely to come in a big way anytime soon. It can even be argued that in the short-term, the main beneficiary of decentralization has been the State budget. Citizens of most urban areas have not benefited, instead many are experiencing a continued deterioration of their services. Reversing this trend is crucial for Romania’s success in developing sustainable and functional cities/growth centers, so as to offer realistic and attractive alternatives in urban areas to people that decide to leave or are effectively forced to move out of rural areas (due to unemployment/ underemployment or perceived lack of prospects). Otherwise, an increasing number of rural residents might head to Bucharest and maybe a few other large cities, and abroad particularly after Romania enters the EU, with potentially severe financial, social and environmental consequences from unbalanced development of the country. As discussed, if cities and towns are to attract and retain residents, they should be: (i) livable; (ii) competitive; (iii) well governed and managed; and (iv) bankable/creditworthy. Romania’s success in meeting the urbanization challenge will be determined to a large extent by its ability to develop such sustainable and functional cities/growth centers, including the provision of modern energy and infrastructure services, rather than spreading its resources across the country trying to reduce disparities. In the search for a solution to this challenge, the intergovernmental transfer system 3 and the financial management (covering revenues and expenditures) of the cities themselves will have to analyzed to identify policy changes and other measures that are needed to make them bankable/creditworthy. PRIVATE SECTOR PARTICIPATION IN ENERGY AND INFRASTRUCTURE 27. Private sector participation has been expected to contribute significantly to financing of the energy sector and to the way the sector operates, in terms of efficiency, 3 A proposal that occasionally comes up in this context is to establish a new public sector institution for municipal financing. This proposal is not supported by the Bank. The Government’s objective, supported by PSAL II, in the financial sector is to bring an end to public sector banking and to ensure that the incentives for a competitive and modern financial system are in place. 9 commercial orientation, and competition. However, it must be recognized that prospects for privatization in energy and infrastructure are not as good as they were just a few years ago. After rapid growth until the late 1990s, global interest in developing country energy offerings has declined significantly and may not recover any time soon. The number of prospective investors has gone down and those that remain are increasingly selective. Due to its proximity to Western Europe and its EU accession prospects, Romania is in favorable position in this competition compared to African and Asian countries, but it also has to compete with its Eastern European neighbors and other opportunities (including those in the developed countries). This reinforces the need for realistic and well-prepared privatization offerings and determined action to address sectoral issues such as regulation, pricing and bill collection that would undermine the attractiveness of Romania’s offerings. While prospects in the petroleum sector are strong, this is clearly an issue in gas and electricity. District heating is likely to be able to attract significant interest only after reform and restructuring. 28. Petroleum. Major private companies including Lukoil, OMV, MOL, and Shell are already present and the sector will undoubtedly be able to attract other major players. Petrom is appropriately at the top of the Government’s list of privatization prospects in energy and infrastructure. Its privatization should be pursued vigorously and without further delays. 29. Natural Gas. Prospects are reasonable for privatization in the gas sector. Romania is expected to start with the two gas distributors. Privatization advisors have just been selected. The legal framework has recently been changed to increase the regulator’s independence from political interference and collections have increas ed sharply during 2002. These measures will enhance investor interest. Tariff and bill collection issues should nevertheless continue to be pursued for further progress. If well-head gas prices are adjusted to more reasonable levels, prospects for privatizing Romgaz would be enhanced, and new entrants might also be attracted in the sector. 30. Coal. Selective mine privatizations may be possible, but it seems that the initial priority has to be primarily on mine closures. Consolidation is necessary, otherwise even potentially profitable mines will not get adequate investments (including mine safety) as resources are wasted to keep the higher cost mines in operation. 31. Electricity. Investment needs are mounting to due to neglect in past years and projected load growth. Government intends to privatize two of Electrica’s eight power distribution companies by mid-2003. Current indications are that a few reputable companies are keenly monitoring developments. A well-run transparent competitive process would help build up credibility and generate more interest for the expected subsequent offerings of the other six discoms. Romania recently tried to attract private financing into the hydro sector and issued invitations seeking private investment for the completion of unfinished hydro plants. Response turned out to be limited, but interest could pick up if successful privatizations are made in the power distribution sector. 10 32. Assuming power distribution privatizations proceed and are successful, chances for Romania being able to raise the necessary financing for meeting its power generation needs would be greatly improved. Most of Termoelectrica’s 8,000 MW of effective plant capacity is in need of renovation and Hidroelectrica’s units are aging as well. The first phase of thermal renovation, covering about 1,200 MW, is underway with IFI support. Privatization on a plant-to-plant basis (in groups of plants) would appear to be a promising approach to raise funds for much of the balance (the major part of the renovations in thermal and hydro), and to create the basis for “mainstreaming” competition in power generation. The Government’s 2001 strategy set an ambitious target to privatize 25-40% of Termoelectrica by 2004. Though such a schedule might not be achievable even with determined efforts, this would be the right direction. 33. District Heating. The modernization of district heating systems will be a major undertaking. Heat losses in the systems are estimated at about 30-35%, in some cases over 50%. Some of the systems may be over-extended and may need to be closed and replaced by individual heating systems. Such closures have taken place in the last decade, the number of operating systems has declined and the total volume of district heat supplied to households has declined by about 30%. Further closures may be required. Some form of private participation would be desirable to attract the necessary management skills and finance, whether to rehabilitate existing units or to build new systems to replaced closed inefficient ones. Due to inefficiency and tariff issues and weak finances of the utilities, substantial public finance (investment and subsidies) will however probably be necessary for quite some time. 34. Infrastructure. Private sector participation has been expected to contribute significantly to infrastructure financing in Romania and to the way the sector operates, in terms of efficiency and commercial orientation, and competition where applicable. A promising start has been made in water (Bucharest water) and trucking, but broader application will be very difficult in the near future. In infrastructure there are no “hot” prospects comparable to Petrom. Even the gas and electricity distributors that are to be privatized in the next few years, issues in gas and electricity sectors notwithstanding, are in much better shape and are clearly more attractive offerings. 35. Realistically, it is more likely that public financing will have to be provided for most of Romania’s infrastructure in the near-to-medium term. This has been recognized by EU and EIB, which are investing heavily in infrastructure. EIB has allocated about ¾ of its total Romania lending to roads and EBRD is supporting infrastructure through its public sector lending window. 11 36 Roads. The Government is interested in attracting private capital into highways, and Bucharest-Brasov has been mentioned as a priority. After fruitless efforts and taking the lessons from the M1/M15 failure in Hungary, EBRD has concluded that prospects for private toll roads are not bright and has shifted its efforts to restructuring the Road Fund and promoting pilots on private sector involvement in road maintenance. NAR has corporatized road maintenance units and is in the process of trying to sell some of them and contracting out services. 37. In railways, Romania has licensed private operators into rail freight services. The bulk of the freight is however carried by the national company. The Government intends to privatize this company, but prospects are not promising given its declining market share (shift to roads). Access charges to state-owned rail infrastructure will also greatly influence the profitability and competitiveness of rail freight. Private sector investment prospects in passenger service do not exist for the time being. Railway infrastructure will stay in state ownership, similarly to most other European railways. 38. Water. The best progress so far has been made in the water sector, in the privatization of the water system in the capital city Bucharest and the water concession project in Timisoara. These are the most developed cities in Romania, have higher water tariffs (and higher income levels so people can afford the higher rates), and overall a better business environment as their local authorities are keen to attract investments. This success has not been replicated in the other large cities. Bringing private capital into most municipal water networks is not an immediate option, given the inadequate tariff levels and lack of government subsidy support. The focus will therefore have to be on alternative options for private participation, with the objective of attracting private sector management and operational skills, and where feasible, at least some level of funds as well, even if the bulk of capital investment might have to be provided by the public sector. THE KEY ROLE OF EUROPEAN DONORS AND REMAINING GAPS IN AVAILABLE ASSISTANCE 39. Romania is benefiting from significant and increasing pre-accession aid from the EU and other European institutions including EBRD and EIB. Though the World Bank is still Romania’s largest creditor at over US$3 billion total cumulative lending, its assistance will have to be carefully coordinated so as to complement this large and increasing European support to Romania. This chapter summarizes the main activities of EU, EBRD and EIB in Romania’s energy and infrastructure development and highlights emerging gaps in assistance available to Romania compared to projected needs. EU 40. The total volume of EU’s pre-accession assistance available to Romania is substantial (at least €630 million per year in total). This represents a very important financial resource for Romania, about 25% of investment expenditure under the national 12 budget, and it is provided on grant basis. EU’s aid to Romania is provided under three main instruments: (a) the Phare program provides funding for institution-building and investment in support of EU accession preparations; (b) ISPA provides investments in transport and environmental infrastructure; and (c) SAPARD supports agriculture and rural development. 41. The bulk of ongoing assistance in the energy and infrastructure sectors has been under ISPA, to transport (roads and railways) and water/environment. In roads and railways, the focus is on Romanian sections of European transport corridors and access to such corridors. Main beneficiaries are road and railway agencies under the Ministry of Transport. In environment, the focus is to help Romania meet EU standards and assistance is mainly for drinking water, treatment of wastewater, solid-waste management and air pollution. Beneficiaries are municipalities, working from the bigger towards the smaller cities and towns, in a programmatic fashion. Under SAPARD, some assistance will be provided to rural infrastructure (rural roads and water supply). In energy and infrastructure, Phare has focused on technical assistance. A new proposed project - small and medium town infrastructure development program (SAMTID) - would also extend Phare funding to infrastructure investments, mainly drinking water and treatment of wastewater. This project would accelerate the pace at which EU assistance would cover water needs of most, if not all, Romanian cities and towns. EIB 42. EIB lending to Romania complements the EU’s direct assistance by supporting large infrastructure and energy programs. Total value of EIB lending to Romania in 1990-2001 was about US$2.3 billion. The bulk of EIB lending has been for roads. In energy and infrastructure, EIB is also supporting power (in a large project co-financed by EBRD and the World Bank) and environment/water (co-financing ISPA). EIB is also expected to co-finance SAMTID with Phare. EBRD 43. Like EIB, EBRD has aligned its infrastructure support to Romania with the EU’s ISPA program, and is also expected to co-finance SAMTID. A noteworthy feature of a few EBRD operations to Romania’s energy and infrastructure has been lending without sovereign guarantees. The poor financial position of most cities effectively limits this approach in urban operations, and EBRD’s two municipal utilities development programs have a government guarantee. Under SAMTID, EBRD will seek a government guarantee. In the energy sector, EBRD has funded power, district heating and energy conservation. EBRD has also supported telecommunications, under its state and private sector lending windows. The total value of EBRD’s loans and investments in Romania 13 is about US$1.7 billion, of which about 35% in energy and infrastructure, and about 20% in telecommunications. Emerging Gaps in Available Assistance 44. One of the striking findings of this paper is the need to revisit the investment need/availability assessment of 2000 which underpinned the Bank’s Country Assistance Strategy (CAS) for Romania. Private financing is not materializing anywhere close to the expected levels. Financing from European institutions, though significant and growing as outlined above, is not filling up the resource gap. Investment needs in most areas of energy and infrastructure are therefore not being met. The petroleum sub-sector is probably the only area which does not face significant problems in mobilizing investment resources. Investment levels in other sub-sectors are well below projected needs and investment programs have not been fully accomplished. There are major policy issues in virtually all of these sub-sectors as well, as discussed earlier in this paper. Policy support by the European institutions and related technical assistance by EU/Phare and donors such as USAID, though large and significant, do not fully cover the needs in these sub-sectors, in terms of what is needed to address the major policy issues. PREREQUISITES FOR WORLD BANK PARTICIPATION 45. Despite the less than fully satisfactory resource outlook of Romania’s energy and infrastructure, it does not automatically follow that the World Bank should remain engaged and provide further investments. There are other prerequisites for Bank participation. The main broad conditions that have to be satisfied are that: (a) the Bank is a lender of last resort, i.e. that Romania’s other partners, financiers and donors are fully engaged, and that Romania itself is doing what it can to mobilize resources; (b) Bank participation will have to be selective and focus on areas where the Bank can make a difference, i.e. where the Bank has a comparative advantage compared to other donors; and (c) Bank assistance in Romania’s energy and infrastructure is clearly aligned with the Bank’s poverty mission and related global corporate priorities. The fulfillment of these three broad conditions is assessed below. 14 Lender of Last Resort 46. As the lender of last resort, Bank assistance can only be considered if the following steps are taken in Romania: (a) The more difficult international environment for attracting private investment makes it imperative for Romania to proceed vigorously with Petrom privatization and to step up and intensify its reform efforts in areas such as gas and electricity where potential for private participation remains, so that public investments can be allocated most effectively; (b) Reform efforts in transport (particularly in railways and roads) and other areas of energy and infrastructure (coal and district heating, water utilities) also need to be intensified, so that the need for financing operational losses is contained and the sectors progress towards viability and offer improved access to services; and (c) Some of the needed investments will have to be deferred as Romania’s capacity to borrow in the public sector is limited. Loans and credits, including possible future Bank assistance, have to fit into the medium-term fiscal framework under Romania’s Stand-by Arrangement with the IMF. And any future Bank assistance for energy and infrastructure has to fit into the lending limits under the Bank’s Country Assistance Strategy for Romania. Core Competencies and Comparative Advantage 47. The Bank’s core competencies (listed in Table 1) include technical competence in all energy and infrastructure and the ability to integrate them with broader cross-cutting themes such as urban and rural development, environmentally sustainable development, inter-linkages with health and education reforms, and leveraging private investments and partners, in the context of a country’s overall structural and social agenda. Considering the Bank’s core competencies, the Bank’s comparative advantages relative to other development partners active in Romania lie mainly in: (i) policy advice and financial support for structural and sector policy reform; and (ii) support for poverty-focused investments and investments in reforming sectors. When applying these criteria, the special focus of the European institutions on areas such as developing European transport corridors and meeting EU environmental standards has to be carefully factored in as well. From the review of outstanding issues in various sub-sectors and from this perspective of comparative advantage, a possible scope of work emerges for the Bank. 15 Table 1: World Bank Global Priorities * The World Bank’s Mission: Fighting Poverty with Passion and Professionalism for Lasting Results Global Public Goods Core Competencies Corporate Advocacy Priorities 1. Communicable Diseases 1. Structural and Institutional 1. Empowerment, Security  HIV/AIDS, tuberculosis,  Good governance and Social Inclusion malaria and childhood  Legal and judicial  Gender mainstreaming communicable diseases  Financial systems  Civic engagement and  Vaccines and drug  Economic management participation development in  Social risk management developing countries incl. disaster mitigation 2. Environmental Commons 2. Social and Human 2. Investment Climate  Climate change  Social protection  Urban and rural  Water  Education development  Forests  Health, nutrition and  Infra services to support  Biodiversity population private sector  Agricultural research  Social development development  Regulatory reform and competition policy  Financial sector reform 3. Information and Knowledge 3. Infrastructure 3. Public Sector Governance  Redressing the digital  Energy  Rule of law (incl. divide and equipping  Transportation Anticorruption) countries with capacity  Information and  Public administration to access knowledge communication and civil service reform  Understanding technology  Judicial reform development and  Water poverty reduction 4. Trade and Integration 1. Cross-Cutting Themes 4. Education  Market access  Integration of structural  Education for all, with  Intellectual property and social agenda emphasis on girls’ rights and standards  Rural development education  Urban development  Building human capacity  Environmentally for the knowledge sustainable development economy  Avoidance of conflict, 5. International Financial and post-conflict support 5. Health Architecture  Leveraging private  Access to potable water,  Development of investment and partners clean air and sanitation international standards by poor people  Financial stability  Maternal and child  International accounting health and legal framework * Note: Work on setting global priorities is evolving 16 48. As discussed on a sub-sectoral basis and summarized in Table 2, the following potential areas emerge as priorities for the Bank when considering new energy and infrastructure assistance to Romania: (a) Urbanization – energy and infrastructure services (water, urban roads, district heating) for the development of sustainable cities; (b) Targeting of energy and infrastructure subsidies to the poor; (c) Reducing government subsidies and facilitating cost-effective transport system through the completion of the ongoing railway reform program; (d) Enhancing mobility and access to business, health and education services; (e) National issues in district heating (externalization); (f) Power market and transmission system development; and (g) If needed, privatization support in several energy and infrastructure services, i.e. gas, electricity, railways, public transport (urban and inter-city). Alignment with Poverty Mission and Global Priorities 49. In order to more effectively focus and operationalize the Bank’s overarching mission of fighting poverty, the Bank is working to sharpen its global corporate priorities to help guide the selection of areas for Bank assistance and operations. Shown in Table 1, the Bank’s global public goods priorities include environmental commons (such as climate change and water), information and knowledge, and trade and integration. The Bank’s corporate advocacy priorities include the investment climate (including urban and rural development, infrastructure services to support private sector development, regulatory reform and competition policy), public sector governance, and health (including access to potable water, clean air and sanitation by the poor). 50. Energy and infrastructure development supports the Bank’s global priorities. All of the six specific areas identified for consideration on the basis of the Bank’s core competencies and comparative advantage in Romania are well aligned with these global corporate priorities. 51. The recent Johannesburg summit on sustainable development put energy and water forcefully to the top of the development agenda. There was also strong consensus that progress in energy and water, and infrastructure in general, is essential for meeting the Millennium Development Goals. 52. Recognizing the strong alignment of Romania’s needs for assistance in these six areas and the Bank’s core competencies, comparative advantage and global priorities, the final chapter of this paper elaborates on the priority areas for Bank assistance. 17 Table 2: Outstanding Issues, Donor Involvement, and the Role of the Bank in Energy and Infrastructure in Romania Energy/Infra Outstanding Issues Donors Role of the Bank Subsector (selective) Water (drinking Inadequate service and EU, EIB, Reform dialogue, complementary water, sewerage & quality, EBRD financing in selected urban and solid waste) finances/pricing/subsidies rural areas National Roads Reforming of the Road Fund EU, EIB, Reform dialogue and possibly, Management, EBRD complementary financing (urban commercialization of NAR by-passes) Mobility and logistic services Local Roads Congestion and pollution, EU Reform dialogue, complementary financing; access to social financing in selected urban, services, alternative to un- regional and rural areas, economic rail services Railways Consolidation, financing EU, EIB Reform dialogue and possibly (infrastructure) complementary financing (IRIS and electronic interlocking systems) Railways Commercialization and EU, EIB Reform dialogue (freight service) competition Railways Viability, subsidies EU, EIB Reform dialogue (passenger service) Petroleum Privatization, environmental EBRD No involvement beyond ongoing upgrading transport project Natural Gas Stagnation of growth, well- Reform (mostly pricing) dialogue (production) head pricing Natural Gas Privatization, pricing, Reform dialogue, possibly (distribution) subsidies guarantee support (if needed) Coal Mining Consolidation Ongoing support for closures and social adjustment Electricity Rehabilitation (including EBRD, Reform dialogue, no financing (generation) pollution control), USAID beyond ongoing rehabilitation restructuring and project, possibly guarantee privatization support (if needed) Electricity (market & Functioning of the market, EBRD Reform dialogue and possibly transmission) regional integration complementary financing Electricity Commercialization, EBRD Reform dialogue, possibly (distribution) privatization guarantee support (if needed) District Heating Inadequate service and EBRD Reform dialogue and possibly quality, inefficiencies, complementary financing finances/pricing/subsidies, externalization Public Housing Supply and affordability in Reform dialogue (under urban urban areas financing) and possibly complementary financing in selected urban areas 18 PRIORITY AREAS FOR WORLD BANK ASSISTANCE 53. As described in the previous chapters and summarized in Table 2, there are abundant policy issues to be addressed and major resource gaps to be met in infrastructure and energy sectors. However, the World Bank has to remain selective as it can participate only in a limited number of areas. Sectoral and Sub-sectoral involvement by the Bank 54. Work on the seven priority areas would translate to involvement by the Bank in various sectors and sub-sectors as follows: (a) In the natural gas sector, the Bank would promote regulatory/pricing reforms and retail levels to contain price distortions at the production (well-head) level and target subsides to low-income households at the consumer level. While the WB will not expect any direct financial involvement, the Bank would be ready to consider guarantee support for gas privatizations, if needed. (b) In the power sector, the Bank would provide support towards (i) establishment of a well functioning wholesale market; (ii) participation of the private sector in power generation and distribution; and (iii) meeting legal, institutional and technical standards for integration of the power system into the regional and European networks. Direct financial involvement is expected in power transmission/system development. The Bank would also be ready to consider guarantee support for generation and/or distribution privatizations, if needed. (c) In the district heating sector, the Bank would provide assistance at national and local levels to help in (i) resolving the transitional issues as the major CHP plants are being transferred to municipalities (externalized); and (ii) arriving at and implementing critical decisions about rehabilitation or closure of individual operations and better targeting of subsidy support to low-income households. Direct financial involvement is expected in selected urban areas. (d) Energy efficiency is an important issue for Romania. On the supply-side, power, gas and district heating reforms will result in efficiency improvements in supply, and price reforms and adjustments will promote efficiency of energy use. The Bank will administer a GEF-funded energy efficiency project approved in September 2002, and experiences gained under that operation will show if there is scope for further Bank support on the demand- side. (e) In the water sector, there is a substantial need for new investments in water supply and particularly water treatment facilities. The bulk of these investments are being supported by the EU, EIB, and EBRD. The Bank will 19 have limited involvement in only some low-income regions and/or small/medium size towns, where the local authorities need substantial help to formulate and implement urgent rehabilitation needs. (f) In the sewerage and solid waste management sectors, there are only a few municipalities that have relatively acceptable facilities. The majority of towns have either no or substantially sub-standard facilities. Therefore, there is a huge need for technical and financial support. Again, the bulk of these investments are expected to be supported by the EU, EIB, and EBRD, and donors should join forces to help the government and local authorities tackle the problem. The Bank will work with the EU, EIB, and EBRD to develop a strategy for joint and coordinated support. (g) In urban transport, there is substantial need for improving the efficiency of mass transit and rehabilitation of urban roads. Although these services are heavily subsidized, the local authorities are normally required to cover the subsidy from their own budget. The Bank would stay engaged in issues of national policy such as road financing, allocation of expenditures to cities and could offer guidance in franchising urban bus services. Direct financial involvement is expected in selected urban areas, probably primarily where roads need to be rehabilitated to improve access to social services (health, education), minimize traffic safety hazards and in connection with and as a consequence of rehabilitation of water, sewerage and DH networks. (h) Most of Romania’s public housing has been privatized. Less than 5% remains under public ownership, and might be un-privatizable due to its age and condition. Similarly, new housing financing has moved from the budget to the private sector. Housing stock exceeds the number of households in rural areas, but there are problems of supply and affordability in urban areas. Inclusion of public housing in the urban program could therefore be considered. (i) In the national roads sector, an investment program emphasizing the international corridors is underway with strong support by the European institutions and complementary Bank financing. Further direct financial involvement is recommended on the network outside of the Pan-European corridors to improve mobility and access to services, as well as to improve trade connections and integration. The Bank would also stay engaged in the reform process with respect to the management of the Road Fund and commercialization of the National Administration of Roads; and (j) In the railways sector, a well formulated reform agenda is being implemented. The reform process is now entering a particularly painful phase as critical decisions need to be made about consolidation including the closure of the uneconomic segments of the railway system. EU, EBRD and the Bank have provided effective and coordinated support. The Bank will work with 20 other donors to support (i) the continuation of the reform process; (ii) closure decisions and downsizing of the labor force; and (iii) technical, legal and institutional standards for integration into the European network. Sub-sectors expected to be excluded 55. The list of envisioned sub-sectoral involvement above is quite long. It is useful to note that, nevertheless, major energy and infrastructure sub-sectors and related areas are being excluded: (a) Petroleum is the most advanced sub-sector in all of energy and infrastructure in Romania. The state-owned oil company Petrom produces oil profitably. Retail prices of petroleum products have been deregulated and track international prices. Social issues in pricing and deregulation are not prominent. The poorest households would typically not be direct consumers of petroleum products in Romania – they would not commonly own vehicles or use kerosene for lighting or fuel oil for heating. In relative terms, the Bank is no longer needed in the petroleum sector; (b) Bank support for rural energy issues is expected to be provided under the rural development projects and no stand-alone operations are proposed at this time; (c) The national airline TAROM is under restructuring, and in any case, Romania is served by a number of airlines and is not dependent on TAROM. EIB is supporting improvements in air traffic services; (d) Maritime and river transport, as well as port development is important for Romania to become a successful gateway between Europe and the Silk Road. Over 1,000 km of the Danube river is in Romania as is a part of the Black Sea coastline, offering Romania potential to further develop its waterway transport. Though the Danube is one the Pan-European transport corridors, it has not yet received the necessary support and attention from either the EU or the IFIs, partly due to the recently ended hostilities and their physical consequences (the remnants of the bombed bridges in FRY) and partly because other modes had a more imminent urgency to be dealt with. Any sustainable improvement of Danube shipping will be feasible only after clearing the Yugoslav section of the Danube and with a regional approach; and (e) The Bank is providing support under an ongoing operation for regulatory matters in the telecommunications sector, but further work is not envisioned. This sector is commercializing rapidly, and in relative terms, comparable to the petroleum sector, the Bank is not needed in the telecommunications sector. 21 Modalities of World Bank Support 56. World Bank support to the infrastructure and energy sectors will be provided through a variety of instruments. Through its broader adjustment operations, the Second Private Sector Adjustment Loan (PSAL2) and the envisioned series of Programmatic Adjustment Loans (PALs), the Bank will work with the Government to also address sectoral policy issues and decisions, including energy and infrastructure. In addition, within the constraints of the Government’s fiscal framework and the lending limits under the Bank’s Country Assistance Strategy for Romania, the Bank would also consider technical and financial support to energy and infrastructure development through two specific programs – a national infrastructure/energy program and an urban infrastructure/energy support program in low-income regions. The first program is aimed at addressing national energy and infrastructure issues in the power sector, national aspects of district heating, and key issues in railway and roads reform. The second program is aimed at assisting local authorities in developing technical and institutional capacity and in funding their urgent rehabilitation needs. Both programs would pursue a multi-sectoral approach, the former would be a national program and the latter would concentrate on low-income regions. National Infrastructure/Energy Program 57. This program would be aimed at the following objectives: (a) Enabling the power sector to resolve its outstanding bottlenecks in the functioning of the wholesale market, improve the investment climate for private sector participation, and establish the requirements for integration into the regional and European power networks; (b) Assisting the Government in resolving the critical issues involved in transfer of district heating facilities to local authorities, as well as decisions regarding rehabilitation, possible closures, alternative manners of heat supply and reformulation of heating subsidies; (c) Assisting the reform process in national roads, notably reforming the national road financing system (management of the Road Fund) and commercialization of the National Administration of Roads; and (d) Assisting the reform process in the railways sector, particularly in the Government's attempt to deal with the consequences of downsizing as well as technical and institutional requirements of the EU. 58. The components of the program would include substantial technical assistance and some direct investment financing, mostly "seed" funds for rehabilitation work. 59. The power sector component would include support to market, regulatory and operating bodies and certain critical rehabilitation in generation and transmission 22 systems, particularly those needed to meet environmental, technical and institutional requirements of the EU. In the market development and regulatory area, the proposed operation would address the manner in which the regulation should deal with the requirement for unified tariffs, the significant differences in the cost structures of hydro and thermal generation, the contractual aspect of privatization of generating facilities, the benchmarks for efficiency assessment of distribution companies, and the modalities of spot and balancing markets. In transmission financing, the proposed operation would have to be very selective and support interconnections and the highest priority projects from the presently long list of rehabilitation requirements. In generation financing, the proposed operation would have to be similarly selective, but it might be possible to support environmental improvements to meet national and EU standards. In distribution, no direct financial involvement is expected. 60. The district heating component would include assistance in (i) examining the viability of the present as well as alternative heat supply systems; (ii) identifying methods of increasing average tariff realization and bill collection while protecting the poor through targeted subsidies; and, (iii) investigating a range of ownership/management options including partnerships, concessions and other methods of private sector participation, as an alternative to outright privatization, the prospects for which have to be regarded as difficult at best in the case of most cities. The division of responsibility between national and local governments for system rehabilitation is under discussion. This component would support the responsibilities of the national government while the urban program will support the responsibilities of the local governments. Items that could be included, for example for some of the systems included in the externalization scheme, would cover: (i) implementing options to reduce the cost of heat supply; and (ii) installing control and metering instruments to provide consumers with the ability and an incentive to conserve energy. 61. The transport component would focus on the inter-linkages between transport, trade and the business environment, the social sectors (education and health) and environmental protection. It would include support to the second level of government institutions, i.e. the National Administration of Roads (NAR) and the Railway Regulator, as well as to the Railway Infrastructure Co. It would help scale up the on-going road program and ensure the continuation of the railways reforms. The integrated multi-modal approach would concentrate funding of road rehabilitation where access to social services is limited and where improved mobility is required in support of that part of the railway reforms that is about to close uneconomic lines and services. Urban by-passes would facilitate transport and business by easing congestion and also have positive health benefits by improving air quality in urban areas. In the road sector restructuring the project would assist the commercialization of road management and address the issues of ownership, administration and management of all classes of roads; it would strengthen the funding mechanism primarily based on road user charges and facilitate fail and equitable allocation methods between the national and local levels. The commitment of the government for these reforms is demonstrated by a policy letter that was handed over to the Bank during the last road supervision mission. The continuation of the railway reforms would be supported in line with the latest EU requirements and in close 23 coordination with EBRD. The component would provide assistance in (i) identification and implementation of closure of uneconomic segments of the system; (ii) dealing with social consequences of downsizing; (iii) privatization and outsourcing plans; (iv) integration of the system into the European network; and, (v) improving system reliability. Investment finance could be provided for electronic interlocking systems and further investment to IRIS to automate train dispatching. Urban Infrastructure/Energy Support Program in Low-Income Regions 62. This program would concentrate on urban areas in low-income regions of Romania and aim at the following objectives: (a) Rehabilitation of local infrastructure and energy networks (water, district heating, streets) where the present systems are facing severe reliability and efficiency issues; (b) Establishment of sewerage systems, which are presently lacking due to unaffordability of initial investment requirements; (c) Establishment of solid waste management systems in areas where the communities are presently facing severe environmental problems; (d) Establishing modern urban transport management and service provision systems to improve safety, traffic flow and facilitate the market access of private operators; (e) Supporting adequate supply of affordable public housing in the selected urban areas; (f) Identification, formulation and implementation of appropriate schemes to attract private investors/operators to manage infrastructure/energy services; and, (g) Development of "local capacity of local people" as advocated by the EU. 63. Broader issues in financing urban infrastructure would be addressed as well. The intergovernmental transfer system and the financial management (covering revenues and expenditures) of the cities themselves would to analyzed to identify policy changes and other measures that are needed for them to be able to afford the necessary investments. The recipient/beneficiary cities in Romania’s low-income areas are typically financially not in a position to borrow substantial amounts on commercial terms as they would not be able to service such loans. For this reason, while Bank technical assistance would benefit all beneficiaries, Bank investment financing under the project will have to be primarily targeted to urban growth centers where the prospects for debt service without defaults by the local borrowers to the central government exist. For the project to be able to reach other cities in these areas and/or to provide a larger volume of financing, co- 24 financing by EU (ISPA and/or Phare) would be essential. EU participation, or rather Bank participation in the EU assistance framework, could take place in one or both of the following two ways: (i) water components (drinking water and/or sewerage) and/or solid-waste component could be funded under parallel ISPA/Phare projects and the remaining urban infrastructure/energy needs (roads and/or district heating in addition to drinking water and/or sewerage and/or solid-waste component as the case may be) could be funded from the Bank loan; and/or (ii) EU could directly co-finance the project and components to be funded in each city would be agreed between EU and the Bank, with the EU having the “first right of refusal” as the objective would be to maximize the use of EU grant funds over Bank debt financing. 64. The project would pursue two distinct approaches to infrastructure supply and rehabilitation. In areas where appropriate, the operation will take a regional approach to addressing a sub-sector such as wastewater treatment or solid waste management within the corresponding region. In other areas, it will take a local approach to support one or several sectors in a municipality. Within this latter approach, it may be economically advantageous to formulate a single package to rehabilitate utilities -- water, sewage, heat networks -- and repair the affected roads. These options will have to be examined at the city, county, and regional levels. In the same manner, options for private sector involvement can be examined and formulated at different levels as appropriate. The recent formation of the Federation of Local Authorities is likely to facilitate the transfer of experience from larger to smaller-sized cities. The proposed project would use this vehicle to benefit smaller and lower income cities and identify appropriate levels of intervention. 25