Gas imports tripled in Romania during the recent period, compared to a normal winter period, leaving authorities struggling to maintain the balance between the population and industry.  The Gas Dispatch is currently on alert, reports local agency Agerpres.

“We are currently on alert and we try to maintain the system in balance. We always watch the map and the gas pressure,” sources from the Dispatch told Agerpres.

However, they warned that problems can appear at any moment, as the domestic gas production is at a maximum, and so is the extraction from deposits. Now the only way to balance the system is to import from Russia.

According to the Dispatch representatives, the national consumption was of around 62 million cubic meters on January 28, up 24 percent compared to a normal winter day, when the consumption stays at around 50 million cubic meters.

The imports also increased to some 11 million cubic meters, compared to 4-5 million on a normal winter day.

The internal production was of 27.6 million cubic meters on January 28, while 24 million cubic meters were extracted from deposits, reports Agerpres.

Romania has faced low temperatures and snowstorms during the last week, with several roads and highways closed for traffic and many trains delayed or even canceled.

School was also canceled for four days in a row in the regions most affected by the wave of snow.

For the next days, meteorologists issued a warning for low temperatures in Romania.

Irina Popescu, irina.popescu@romania-insider.com

(photo source: Sxc.hu)