Electrocentrale Bucureşti (Elcen) supplies thermal agent through two plants, CET Bucureşti Sud and CET Grozăveşti, according to the summer program, but the outdated pipeline system cannot properly take over the thermal agent, according to a company statement quoted by Agerpres.

Of the four Elcen power plants, only two operate during the summer, as it is no longer necessary to provide heat.

During the period when it is not in operation, the two CETs stopped by Elcen, CET Bucharest West and CET Progresu, are subject to a maintenance program planned since the beginning of the year, in agreement with Termoenergetica.

CET Grozăveşti covers the area mostly served by CET Bucharest West, so the consumers usually served by CET Bucharest West currently benefit from the heating agent delivered from CET Grozăveşti.

Revisions or repairs of some faults within CET Bucharest West (currently closed during the summer) do not affect, according to Elcen, the connected consumers. The annular structure of the network allows the taking over of the thermal agent from any point, in this case from CET Grozăveşti. CET Bucharest South has taken over the area mostly served by CET Progresu, it is shown in the communiqué.

“We emphasize that the failure to complete in time (in the last 15-20 years) the major modernization works essential in the district heating network, led to the unprecedented degradation of the district heating system currently operated by Termoenergetica, which currently lacks the technical capacity to take over Elcen thermal flow. We assure the consumers of Bucharest that, despite the situation caused by the serious technical condition of the district heating system, with negative consequences not only on the parameters of hot water supply to consumers, but also on Elcen’s production sources, vital for Bucharest and for the National Energy System, we are making every effort to find the most efficient and fastest solutions to deal with this outdated system, which now bears the consequences of a lack of investment,” said company officials.

According to them, the production activity and the transport and distribution activity are interdependent and are part of a single organism, vital for Bucharest.

“If one part of the system does not work, it affects the other. Effective inter-agency collaboration is needed to develop and implement common terms of reference that are absolutely necessary to maintain a functioning system,” the statement said.