According to INS data on the situation of energy resources in the first 8 months of 2024 in Romania, electricity imports increased by 60% compared to the same period of 2023, and electricity production decreased by 11%.
“Such a large increase in the share of electricity imports has never been seen in Romania’s history”, comments Dumitru Chisăliță, president of the Intelligent Energy Association.
The final consumption of electricity in this period was 33,561.0 million kWh, 1.4% higher compared to the period 1.I-31.VIII.2023, the final consumption of electricity in the economy increased by 1.1 %; population consumption increased by 2.9%, and public lighting decreased by 3.4%.
This increase in energy consumption was also accompanied by a decrease in electricity production from domestic production amid a decline in output from several electricity generation sectors.
During this period, the electricity resources were 43,992.5 million kWh, decreasing by 382.6 million kWh compared to the period 1.I-31.VIII.2023.
The need to reorient in the last year the electricity production system towards production from thermal power plants determined to produce in the first 8 months of 2024 the amount of 11,376.3 million kWh, increasing by 127.8 million kWh (+1.1% ). This against the background of the drop in hydropower production, due to low rainfall and prolonged drought periods, but also the need to maintain some capacities in reserve due to the volatility of energy production from renewable sources. The energy produced by hydropower plants was 10,588.5 million kWh, down by 3,482.3 million kWh (-24.7%).
In the same period, we had a decrease in production from nuclear-electric plants, where the production was 7003.8 million kWh, down by 308.1 million kWh (-4.2%), against the background of shutdowns of the groups of in Cernavoda.
A decrease in electricity production was also recorded in the case of wind power plants, in the period 1.I-31.VIII.2024, which was 4102.6 million kWh, down by 835.9 million kWh compared to period 1 .I-31.VIII.2023 (-20.3%).
Along with the increase in electricity produced by thermal power plants in the first 8 months, we had an increase in electricity produced in photovoltaic installations. During this period, the production of photovoltaic electricity was 2569.4 million kWh, increasing by 969.0 million kWh compared to the period 1.I-31.VIII.2023 (+37%). According to the INS Methodology published at the time of the creation of the Report “Primary energy resources in the period 1.I- 31.VIII.2024”, the energy production from photovoltaic solar plants also includes prosumers.
“This situation is due to the investment policies in the energy sector in recent years and is an important alarm signal that must be followed by measures to increase Romania’s energy security, partly achieved through the financing openings made in the last year,” concluded Dumitru Chisăliță.