Romanian hydropower plants – mostly owned by Hidroelektrika – produced 26% less electricity in the first nine months of this year, as a result of the drought, and the negative energy balance increased by 44%, according to data from Transelectrica, the transmission and system operator.
Hydropower plants in Romania produced only 10.6 TWh of electricity in the first nine months of 2022, compared to 14.4 TWh in the first nine months of 2021. The share of hydropower in the country’s energy mix decreased from 34% to 27% during this period , according to Transelectrica data.
This means that the production of hydroelectric power plants decreased by 3.8 TWh on an annual basis.
While in the first nine months of 2021, hydropower plants were the leading producer in Romania, this year thermal power plants took over that position, whose production increased by 0.2 TWh, to 14.4 TWh, reaching a share in the energy mix of 36%. The production of nuclear power plants fell by 0.2 TWh, while renewable energy sources recorded a significant growth of 0.8 TWh, which also led to an increase in their share in the energy mix.
National net electricity production increased by 7% in the first nine months of this year, while consumption decreased by 6%. Electricity exports are significantly lower than imports, despite an increase of 0.8 TWh (28%). However, imports increased by 1.2 TWh, or 30%.
While last year’s deficit in the energy balance was only 0.9 TWh, in the first nine months of this year it reached 1.3 TWh, which means that it has increased by 44%. The deficit arose in conditions of a reduction in national electricity consumption.
The decrease in consumption was influenced by the increase in the price of primary fuels, which was reflected in the final price of electricity, but also by above-average monthly temperatures, according to Transelektrik.
Installed power in the period January – September 2022 in Romania was about 18,300 MW (gross power), which is less compared to 19,600 MW in the same period last year, according to Transelektrik.
Source: e-nergia.ro
