Romania was a net electricity importer yesterday as the domestic electricity output didn’t cover the local consumption.

This situation has been determined by the fact that import electricity prices are currently lower than the local power prices, which makes it cheaper to import, according to Octavian Lohan, board member of the state-controlled energy carrier Transelectrica, which also operates the local electricity market OPCOM, reports local News.ro.

At the moment, energy costs EUR 65.01 per MWh in Romania, Hungary and Slovakia whereas the price in the Czech Republic amounts to EUR 43.70 per MWh.

Romania’s energy consumption reached 8,855 MW yesterday at 2PM, whereas the production totaled 8,715 MW, according to Transelectica’s data. Imports thus amounted to 300 MW whereas exports totaled 140 MW. The imported energy represented 3% of the energy consumption in Romania.

The Energy Ministry said that the country doesn’t record problems in electricity supply. “There are sufficient production units and fuel stocks to cover the entire needed consumption in the country,” read a press release of the Energy Ministry.

Several power generation units in Romania were closed yesterday. Moreover, the wind energy production, which covered some 20% of the local consumption some two weeks ago, was also low due to the calm weather.

editor@romania-insider.com