The consumption of electricity and gas at national level will reach record values on Monday and on Tuesday, but the necessary capacities to cover this peak exist, said the Minister of Energy Toma Petcu at the end of the winter command meeting, quoted by Agerpres.

According to him, the electricity consumption will exceed 9.500 MW, and the gas consumption could reach 74 million cubic meters per day. On Monday, the gas consumption was 68-69 million cubic meters.

“We analysed the balance of the energy system during the frost period. A frost Orange Code was issued in 35 counties and in Bucharest. We have severe weather and given the cold weather, the consumption increases, especially for gas, both for household consumers and for the producers of electricity and heat. We need additional gas quantities. Also, he electricity consumption are greatly increasing”, said the Minister of Energy.

What personally offended me was the fact that those responsible from CE Oltenia took into account to have production stocks only for four days of production of electricity and thermal energy, at peak load, Toma Petcu
He noted that the representatives of the national energy system estimate a consumption of natural gas of 72-74 million cubic meters, “a historical consumption”, given that until now the maximum was 71.2 mcm, and last year the maximum consumption was at 55 million cubic meters, about 35% less than these days.

“We are prepared and we have taken all the necessary decisions so that we can do this. We have about 26 million cubic meters in reserves, 28 million cubic meters in daily production and 16 million cubic meters which the providers assumed that they will import. Currently, we have the estimated need in ordeer to pass this peak. It was decided that Elcen, CET Brazi, and CET Galati will switch on fuel oil. Yesterday (Sunday no.) and last night it happened. Elcen is currently operating on fuel oil,” added Toma Petcu.

He stressed out that additional groups were started to increase the electricity production, given that a 9.500 MW maximum need is estimated.

“For the electricity, we ordered the supplementation of the Turceni, Rovinari groups, we managed to start the group at Mindia, from CEH, in Hunedoara, another 150 MW group. CET Govora went into production with 50 MW. We had a estimated reserve on hydro of 1.000 MW; 400 MW were consumed, we have another 600 MW available on hydro. We have an estimated maximum power consumption of 9.500 MW. At the moment the consumption was 9.000 MW, “said Petcu.

Bulgaria has requested emergency aid on electricity supply

The Minister of Energy also signaled that on Sunday evening Bulgaria has requested an emergency aid for electricity supply due to system problems.

“Given the delicate situation in which Romania could be positioned, we did not assume this effort and we told them that we could not help,” said Petcu.

He also revealed that he ordered the supplementation of the coal production. “What personally offended me – and we will make an analysis soon – is that those responsible of CE Oltenia considered to have production stocks only for four days of production of electricity and thermal, at peak load. I supplemented the number of workers and the extraction capacities in quarrying, in extraction, in the mines. The four-days are to remain as a reserve and what is extracted from the mine will ensure the daily consumption without using the reserves that were created at the plant”, he noted.

Petcu stressed out that, given all these measures, we can move smoothly over the two or three cold days and to balance the energy system.

“Let’s give a signal that Romania is ready to be energetically balanced and always has solutions and alternatives”, said the minister.

He added that “there is a 38 million cubic meters reserve of gas in the pipes, line pack, as it is called in technical terms, which is a normal level. We might use 1-2 mcm from this spare volume, if necessary”.

The gas in storage is sufficient for all winter and we have a very good extraction capacity

Gas from storage is sufficient for all winter and we have a very good extraction capacity and we even increased it, continued Petcu. “In deposits, there are 1,6 – 1,8 bcm and the extraction capacity increased a bit today, from 24,5 million, to nearly 26 million cubic meters, which is a good thing”, said the Minister.

Asked what would happen if the frost will extend for more than three days, the minister said that there will not be problems. “We have enough gas in storage, we made our analysis for the entire week,” he added.

Last year in the same period, the gas consumption was 52-55 million cubic meters a day, said the Minister of Economy, Alexandru Petrescu, who attended the meeting. “Both transmission and system networks, Transelectrica and Transgaz, operate optimally and we do not expect any kind of problems, I hope,” said Petrescu.