The Order of the Ministry of Industry and Energy of 9 February 1980, for which the participation of the Office for the Compensation of Electrical Energy (OFICO) is fixed in the collection of electric enterprises, and the compensation to be paid to the operators of thermal power plants, established the compensation of OFICO to the plants that consumed natural gas, following instructions from the Directorate General of Energy on the basis of the authorized by Royal Decree 2194/1979 of 3 August. The cost limit then set was amended after several successive occasions by the Directorate-General for Energy, making use of the authorisations granted by Royal Decree 1486/1980 of 18 July 1980, the Ministerial Order of 19 July 1980, Royal Decree 69/1983 of 19 January 1983 and the Ministerial Order of 22 January 1983.

The above mentioned provisions have been repealed, and the limit of the cost of natural gas for thermal power plants, as a result of the current prices for fuel oil, which can replace gas, is necessary to amend the current limit values, without prejudice to the power of the Directorate-General for Energy, in the interests of greater flexibility, in order to make successive adjustments as appropriate.

In its virtue, this Ministry has had to dispose:

First.-The cost limit for natural gas for thermal power plants, Pog, is generally set at 2.61 pesetas/thermal power of higher heat power for consumption from zero hours of the day. following the publication of this Order in the Official Journal of the State.

Second.-The Directorate-General for Energy is empowered to adjust the value referred to in the previous paragraph in the future, taking into account changes in the prices of other fuels that could be used alternatively in thermal power plants, or when the fuel programming to be used makes it necessary.

Third. -Without prejudice to the above paragraph, if the prices of fuel oil were modified for thermal power plants, this cost limit would be provisionally varied in the same proportion, with effect from the same the date of validity of the new prices, until a new Pog cost limit is expressly fixed by the Directorate-General for Energy, to be applied.

Fourth. -Companies under the Integrated Electrical Emerge Billing System (SIFE) will receive an OFICO compensation equal to the difference between the price of natural gas for thermal power plants that is in force in the the time of their consumption, increased by the corresponding excise duty, and the Pog cost limit corresponding to it as set out in the first, second and third paragraphs.

Fifth. -By the Directorate General of Energy, the necessary provisions will be made for the fulfillment of this Ministerial Order.

Sixth. The Resolution of 18 February 1983 laying down the cost limit for natural gas Pog, used in thermal power stations, and the fourth paragraph of the Order of 9 February 1980, is hereby repealed. Ministry.

Seventh. This Ministerial Order shall enter into force on the day following its publication in the Official Journal of the State.

Madrid. July 6, 1984. -SOLCHAGA CATALAN.