Prime Minister Marcel Ciolacu announced, on Friday, after the meeting of the Energy Command, that the situation of the current available capacities was evaluated and it was discussed how to speed up the solution of the energy storage problem, “which has become vital at this moment”. According to the Government, the Executive, the responsible institutions and the representatives of energy producers, distributors and suppliers will finalize the plan that will include immediate and medium-term measures to ensure the energy needed for the consumption of citizens and the economy.
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Prime Minister Marcel Ciolacu at the meeting of the Energy Command Photo: Facebook
“Today, in the Energy Command, we discussed the measures we need to take after we have successfully overcome this long episode of severe heat that tested the limits of the national energy system. We assessed the situation of the current available capabilities; we set a timetable for commissioning new production capacities and discussed how we can accelerate solving the problem of energy storage, which has become vital at this time,” Prime Minister Marcel Ciolacu announced on his Facebook page.
The Prime Minister stated that he wants to be very clear that he is in favor of protecting the environment. “But that does not mean that I will accept the blocking of some strategic energy projects, especially in the area of hydropower plants, because that would mean affecting the security of energy supply for millions of Romanians in the future. The fact that we got through a major time of energy stress without major power outages is very important. This is largely due to the very good collaboration between the Ministry of Energy, public authorities, network administrators and all private and state companies “, added the Chief Executive.
The Prime Minister emphasized the need for closer collaboration and the acceleration of investments in the national transport network, in new production and energy storage capacities. “Romanian citizens and entrepreneurs should not feel the effects generated by the heatwave period. I will get involved directly to do everything related to the Government – legislative changes, financial support for investments, dialogue with European financiers“, Marcel Ciolacu also said, according to a press release from the Executive.
The established measures
As immediate measures, within the Energy Command, the following have been established:
– Increasing the production of energy in the band, regardless of the source;
– Identifying a standard format for transmission/communication of electricity measurement data between distributors and suppliers in order to have a clearer picture of consumption and production needs and to reduce imbalances;
– The National Energy Regulatory Authority will analyze the price formation mechanism in order to protect the final consumer from market fluctuations;
– The distribution operators will publish and constantly update on their websites the localities/areas affected by the breakdowns, as well as the estimated duration for remediation;
– Acceleration of investments in all segments of the energy field.
At the same time, according to the quoted source, the Ministry of Energy and the Ministry of the Environment will present to the Government information on the status of energy investment projects – from production capacities, including hydropower projects with a high degree of execution, distribution, storage, etc. – and, if difficulties are identified in their development, to take urgent decisions at the level of the Government.
Prime Minister Marcel Ciolacu emphasized that the next five years are vital for the development of the energy system, for which he will be directly involved in securing the necessary financing for investment projects.
“After 15 years, Romania is ready to adopt a national energy strategy. Based on it, the Romanian state will be able to plan, prioritize and correlate its investments and projects necessary to ensure national energy security, at a competitive price of electricity and natural gas. We see these days, after decades of lack of public investment in the national energy system, how important vision and planning are in this strategic sector. In the last year, we managed to attract 13.6 billion euros of non-reimbursable European money into the energy system. Through these investments, starting next year, we will ensure more energy, and in the medium term, fair prices for Romanians and for the business environment“, stated the Minister of Energy, Sebastian Burduja.
According to the analysis made also at this meeting, the Government claims that it is on schedule with the payment of the amounts owed to the suppliers, after the payment of the last installment in the amount of 3.2 billion lei was made, for the compensation and capping scheme that will work, according to the current legislation, until the spring of next year.
Prime Minister Marcel Ciolacu and the Minister of Energy, Sebastian Burduja, thanked all those who worked in difficult conditions to ensure the supply of energy during this heatwave period.
Prime Minister Marcel Ciolacu convened the Energy Command on Friday. And according to the quoted source, consultations between representatives of the Government, responsible institutions, producers, distributors and supplies will continue to ensure Romania’s energy security.
The Energy Committee meeting was attended by the Prime Minister and the Minister of Energy, Deputy Prime Minister Marian Neacșu and representatives of ANRE, the Competition Council, Transelectrica-DEN, OPCOM, Hidroelectrica, Electrocentrale București, Romgaz, OMV Petrom, Oltenia Energy Complex, Valea Jiului Energy Complex , Electrocentrale Craiova, Nuclearelectrica, Rompetrol Energy, Henro, ACUE, AFEER and SAPE.
The Minister of Energy, Sebastian Burduja previously announced that during the Red Heat Code period, energy consumption at the national level increased by over a thousand megawatts compared to a normal summer day.
Burduja also specified that there is no reason to fear generalized blackouts, blackouts, or other scenarios circulated in the public space. And in the case of the penalties registered two days ago, at the Dundeni Hospital, he showed that they must have generators, because that is the law and where they do not go, the guilty must be sought and punished.
