Environmental non-governmental organization Bankwatch Romania said that it is against the plan to expand the coalmine operated by Energy Complex (EC) Oltenia in Gorj country to a capacity of 8 million tons per year.
Alexandra Doroftei from Bankwatch Romania said that the deforestation for the coalmine’s expansion and then burning lignite will have a double negative effect on the environment by increasing CO2 emissions and reducing the absorption capacities.
According to Bankwatch Romania, the decision to expand the coalmine is motivated by the decision to postpone the decommissioning of 660 MW in coal-fired units at TPPs Rovinari and Turceni from 31 December 2022 to 30 October 2023.
The NGO also noted that the draft decarbonization law has already undergone substantial changes, mostly negative, before being adopted. The purpose of the decarbonization law is to establish the framework for reducing CO2 emissions in the energy sector, but the most recent changes have precisely the opposite effect. Subsequently, it implies negative impacts on the progress of Romania’s National Recovery and Resilience Plan (PNRR) and on the restructuring plan at EC Oltenia that is being carried out under the supervision of the European Commission.
