The wind turbines have been estimated to ensure a 2.000 MW production on late Tuesday evening, helping to cover the electricity consumption now at record levels, said the Minister of Energy, Toma Petcu.

Thus, wind energy has been estimated to cover nearly 20% of the consumption, given the fact that at national level in these frosty days, about 9.700 MW are used during peak hours.

“We’re starting to have a big production on the wind energy sector also. If yesterday (Monday-i.e.) production was 400 MW, at this moment we are at 1.500 MW and growing. We estimate that during the peak demand, 19:00-20:00 p.m. (from Tuesday – i.e.) there will be produced somewhere around 2.000 MW from wind turbines”, said the minister, quoted by Agerpres.

He added that the forecasted wind speeds for Dobrogea are optimum for the operation of the wind turbines.

“Indeed, the turbines have a protection system in case the wind speed exceeds 80-100 km/h, but from what ANM has issued, the wind speed will be somewhere at 55-60 km/h, thus optimum for the energy production”, added Petcu.

He also noted that on Wednesday there will be a meeting between Hidroelectrica and the Romanian Waters, given that the Danube flow is very low and could reach in the upcoming four days a minimum of 1.800 cubic meters per second.

“We have reserves in lakes, accumulated over time, that give us comfort and on hydro we only act when an additional capacity is needed,” assured the minister.

CE Oltenia has no strategy for bad weather

Petcu said he was discontented that, at CE Oltenia, no strategy of actions has been prepared that should be used in case of bad weather, when the plants would require to operate at full capacity.

“I am discontented with what has happened in the recent months at CE Oltenia, where the stock from the coal mines is very good, close to 400.000–500.000 tons, unfortunately transport of this coal to the power stations has not been optimized, it was not done in due time. We supplemented with four trainsets of 22 cars each, with locomotives equipped for transportation. There were issues at unloading also due to the frost, because coal freezes, we have quantities that we will be able to unnload later today, and we will ensure the peak, we will continue the unloading pace. We will perform an analysis to see why the people who managed and were responsible for this did not reviewed and did not try to predict a situation in which CE Oltenia might work at maximum capacity with all groups and, considering the bad weather, how could you resist”, said the minister.

According to the minister, at two groups Turceni stopped for repairs, but otherwise there were no problems.

Romania has consumed during the Monday to Tuesday night a record amount of natural gas or 72.4 million cubic meters per day, and similar levels are expected for Tueday.

“We are preparing for this night to provide the same functionality, the same production capacity, the same import, the same reserve that will be available from the gas reserves. We estimate for this night the same peak of 71-72 million cubic meters. We are ready to cover these peaks “, said the minister.

Consumption peaks

As about electricity, the consumption level was 9.700 MW on Monday, a level that was exceeded in the month of December 2016.

“We maintain the operation on fuel oil of the three power stations Elcen Bucuresti, Brazi and Galati. We have the necessary quantities of fuel oil for operation,” said the minister.

Petcu added that, on Wednesday, at 13:00, there will be a new meeting of the winter command team.

“There is an additional forecast that was issued today by the ANM stating that, starting at 22:00, again in the Dobrogea region, unfortunately, the most affected, we will have a heavy blizzard. I contacted Enel Dobrogea and Electrica Muntenia, to whom I told to be prepared. We have special equipment, the tracked vehicles from the Army with which we intervene if necessary,” he noted.

The minister of Energy added that he asked the gas distributors to be prepared if additional interventions will be needed.

“We have groups running at Turceni and Rovinari, and, additional, at CE Hunedoara”, stressed out the minister.

The National Meteorology Administration (ANM) issued on Tuesday, a new weather warning Yellow Code and Orange Code for snow and blizzard, for 15 counties and Bucharest, from Tuesday evening until Wednesday evening.