The closure of two of the underground mining operations in the Jiu Valley, Lonea and Lupeni, a process that has been postponed, will require total funds of 110 million lei this year, according to a draft normative act prepared by the Ministry of Economy and Energy.

“The state aid in the total amount of 109,172 thousand lei for 2020, is fully supported from the state budget, through the budget of the Ministry of Economy, Energy and Business Environment, approved for 2020” and “is a support measure that is part from a broader plan of measures, which includes the granting of state aid and aimed at closing non-competitive mines within the Complexul Energetic Hunedoara SA company, in insolvency. These support measures are granted until 2024 and have been notified and authorized by European Commission,” it is shown in the document, according to economica.net.

The closure plan provided for the cessation of production activity at the Lonea and Lupeni mines to take place at the end of 2018, but the deadline was extended until the end of this year for Lonea and until July 2021 for Lupeni mines.