Romania’s coal production reached 3.8 million tons of oil equivalent (toe) in the first eleven months of 2016, down 10.2% compared to the same period in 2015, according to data from the National Statistics Institute (INS).

Between January and November 2016, Romania imported 495,900 toe worth of coal, down 1.3% year-on-year.

According to the Energy Strategy draft, published on the Energy Ministry’s website, Romania has total reserves of 12.6 billion tons of lignite, geographically concentrated in the Oltenia Mining Basin. Deposits in operation total 986 million tons. Pit coal reserves, concentrated in the Valea Jiului coal basin, total 2.2 billion tons, of which 592 tons are under exploration.

The decline in coal production in Romania is related to the bad situation of the biggest integrated thermal power producers in Romania. Complexul Energetic Oltenia and Complexul Energetic Hunedoara have both recorded big losses in recent years and have been forced to close some of the coal mines they operate.

Complexul Energetic Hunedoara, which operates the pit coal mines in Valea Jiului and several coal-fueled thermal power plants in the region, went into insolvency in 2016.

editor@romania-insider.com