Companies in the energy sector in Romania all estimate profits - sometimes huge profits - while companies in the industrial sector strive to stay afloat while paying huge energy bills.

The associations of owners note that the price of utilities in Romania stays high, while priced on international markets had dropped.

"It is perfectly feasible to lower the utilities' prices by 10 to 15%, to allow Romanian companies become more competitive," said the president of the National Council of Small and Medium-sized Companies Ovidiu Nicolescu.

The National Authority for the Regulation of the Energy Sector (ANRE) decided in May to lower the price energy companies could charge by 3%; while in July it decided for a 5% drop in prices. However, the owners' associations are still disgruntled with the decrease, saying the prices are still too high.

To compare, the results posted by companies in the energy sector look like this:

Romgaz had 323.8 million lei net profit in the first six months of 2009, which is 13.6% higher than the same period last year. The company estimates its year-end profit 727.2 million lei, from 537.29 million in 2008 and 509.55 million lei in 2007.

Transgaz, the national company in charge with natural gas transportation, estimated an year-end profit 10 to 12% higher than the 239 million lei recorded in 2008.

Nuclearelectrica, the company operating the nuclear power-plant at Cernavoda, posted a six-month net profit of 140 million lei, up 33% from same period last year, and revenues at 473 million lei, or 22% higher than those in the same period last year.

Transelectrica, the national company in charge with the power grid in Romania, estimated 12-month net profits at 56.7 million lei, which is 40% up from last year.

Hidroelectrica, the company in charge with water-powered electric plants, estimated net profits at