Energy Minister Victor Grigorescu established the Steering Committee for mining, in order to analyze the current state of the energy mineral resources sector (coal and uranium) and to propose measures to streamline and reorganize the sector in order to secure supplies of energy resources needed to achieve the energy security, competitiveness and sustainability objectives of Romania, indicates a press release of this institution.
The committee will be led by Secretary of State Corina Popescu and is composed of specialists from the Ministry and from each sub-sector, representatives of specialized companies, academics, employers and trade unions representative, writes Agerpres.
“The mining sector needs the best measures for recovery and reorganization in order to maintain a balanced energy mix in the National Energy System. We need urgent and viable measures for this industry to survive, and experts in the Steering Committee have the task to identify as soon as possible these solutions, taking into account the reality facing the sector and the international context”, said Corina Popescu, Secretary of State in the Energy Ministry.
According to data centralized by Transelectrica, last year coal held a 30% share of electricity production in Romania, up by 1.17% more than in 2014. In a Facebook posting, Minister Victor Grigorescu stressed that “in a market with an increasing consumption, coal occupies a foreground, and those who say that imports are the source of problems for the coal sector didn’t do their homework”.
Energy Ministry published data on production, consumption and export of energy for the last three years. Victor Grigorescu noted three aspects conclusive for the national energy system:
- We are energy exporters to regional markets. In 2015, we exported over 10% of production. We have a national energy system capable of performance that we can rely on.
- Around 30% of the energy we consume comes from coal-fired plants. Coal is essential for the continuity of energy supply in Romania.
- Biomass finds a place among the potential sources of energy, even if its share is still small.
“The data on various sources of production in the national energy mix are clear: electricity production from coal is important”, said Minister Grigorescu.