The Minister of Energy, Sebastian Burduja, says that he prefers a constructive and transparent dialogue with the general mayor of the Capital because the people of Bucharest need concrete solutions and solved problems, “not passing responsibility”.
The minister’s reaction follows the statements made by the general mayor of the Capital, appearing in the public space, according to which the lack of hot water in Bucharest is “a responsibility of the Ministry of Energy, which was not ready with its CET to produce”, according to Agerpres.
“I prefer to have a constructive and transparent dialogue with the Mayor General and the Capital City Hall because the citizens of Bucharest need concrete solutions and solved problems, not passing responsibility. I am fed up with that. The only answers I have following my approach for more than a month I have been in various press interviews of Mr. Nicusor Dan. I am waiting for a concrete, institutional answer, and the urgent payment of the debt to ELCEN, of almost 1 billion lei. Involvement and solutions are needed. On this way, I reiterate the need for a serious approach to heating in Bucharest and I will urgently propose the establishment of a working group, coordinated by the Ministry of Energy, to identify quick solutions for getting out of the crisis and modernizing the heating system that provides hot water and heating for Bucharest residents. We are in 2023 and we can no longer tolerate living conditions like in the last century in the Capital of Romania,” also said Sebastian Burduja.
According to a press release from the relevant ministry, CET Sud, under the direct subordination of ELCEN, not the Ministry of Energy, was scheduled for revision between August 1 and 21 and, according to the schedule announced and confirmed with the General City Hall, it met its deadline and the plant started operating.
“The fact that Elcen still has some old power plants and not new, efficient and flexible installations, is due to the fact that even until today the City Hall has not paid its payment obligations, and the company Electrocentrale Bucharest does not have the money necessary to start investments and modernizations absolutely necessary, a situation perpetuated for years,” the press release states.
More than a month ago, the Minister of Energy sent a letter to the Mayor General signaling to him that there is a very large debt, of almost one billion lei, that Termoenergetica, the company subordinate to the General Mayor’s Office, which actually distributes the heating agent to the citizens of Bucharest, has to pay to ELCEN. “The general mayor was reminded that ELCEN must purchase gas for the cold season, gas is purchased in advance, according to the legislation in force, and ELCEN will not have the necessary funds to purchase this gas,” the ministry stated in the statement.
No response was received from the Mayor General to this letter, the institution states.