Romania: Outdated power generation facilities may influence country electricity production?

Published on 19. January 2015., News Serbia Energy

About 30% of electricity production capacity in Romania have exceeded the 40 years of operation, 25% have a duration of 30 years of operation and only 15% were put into service in the last 5 years, as Romania’s Energy Strategy 2015-2035 launched the debate on the website of the Ministry of Energy, Small and Medium Enterprises and Business.

“Romania is facing a number of major challenges in electricity production capacity, since most of them have exceeded their technical lifetime being wasteful and polluting. About 30% of production capacity exceeded during 40 years of operation and 25% of them already have a term of 30 years of operation. About 15% of production capacity was commissioned in the last 5 years “, says the strategy.

Romania should put into operation new energy capacity, competitive and use of clean technologies, covering appreciated that capacity shortages will occur after 2015, with clear trends of deepening after 2020 to 2025, in the context of the objectives ambitious decarbonisation at European level, the 40% reduction in emissions of greenhouse gases by 2030.
‘The question of the need to implement support mechanisms to facilitate the achievement of high energy infrastructure investments based on free market principles of energy and respecting European regulations on transparency, competition and state aid. Securing can be achieved both through fiscal mechanisms and trade with tools enabling mainly ROI predictability for investors in energy production capacities in low-carbon technologies’, shows Energy Strategy.

In 2013, raw power installed capacity of electricity generation in Romania exceeded 23 GW, while net production capacity was approximately 18 GW, Romania thus occupying the first position in Southeast Europe as total capacity electricity generation installed.

The level of consumer connection to the electricity distribution network (RED) is relatively high at the national level (96.3%), but there are isolated areas located far away from urban centers and spread across the country, still without electricity (about 30% These are communities of 5-10 households). To remedy these problems, the National Electrification Programme launched 2012-2016, but efficiency is limited in its implementation to date.
The amount of electricity produced in Romania by manufacturers holders dispatchable units (UD) was 55.78 TWh in 2013, the total quantity of electricity supplied by them are networks of 51.70 TWh.

The evolution of electricity consumption has fluctuated significantly over the last two decades in Romania. During 1989-2000, domestic electricity consumption has decreased significantly, mainly due to lower consumption in the industrial sector after 1989. The situation has stabilized in 2000, when electricity demand rose for the first time in a decade.After steady growth, electricity consumption in Romania reached the highest level in 2008.
In the period 2008-2013, gross electricity consumption in Romania decreased by 6%, mainly under the impact of the economic crisis and contracting industry. Electricity consumption in the industrial sector, including construction and energy sector decreased by about 18% in 2008-2013.

In 2013, total electricity supplied to final consumers was 9,011,095, of which 8,991,881 (99.8%) were consumers supplied in the regulated and 19,214 (0.2%) were consumers supplied on a competitive basis (consumers who have exercised their eligibility). Reported to the final consumption of electricity in the competitive consumption was 56.7% by volume.