Left without heating after a coal-fired unit at Electrocentrale Craiova broke down, Ford Otosan’s automobile plant in southern Romania ceased operations on November 13, Profit.ro reported.

The losses at the factory that is producing some 1,000 automobiles and 1,700 EcoBoost engines per day are estimated in the range of tens of millions of euros. 

The heating supplier was expected to resume supplies on the night of November 14.

Electrocentrale Craiova, which operates a power plant with units fired by coal (two units) and natural gas (one unit), is a supplier of thermal energy for both the municipality and the plant – the largest employer in Craiova. 

The heating supply to the municipality ceased several days ago amid problems at the coal-fired units that are not modernised since they are supposed to be phased off in the near future. The energy producer is carrying out an expansion to develop more gas-fired capacities, financed under the Resilience Facility – but the project is delayed by failure to find a contractor.

iulian@romania-insider.com

(Photo source: Ford Otosan Romania on LinkedIn)