The equivalent of daily heating for 75,000 apartments in Bucharest is lost due to outdated heating networks, which have huge losses, Energy Minister Bogdan Ivan said on Thursday, at the end of the National Energy Command meeting.
"At ELCEN [Electrocentrale Bucuresti SA], there is a 50-year-old technology. When overloaded, with a systemic lack of investment over the past 35 years, the installations begin to fail. Currently, there are significant losses in Bucharest. For example, the equivalent of the heating for 75,000 apartments is lost every day due to the networks which have massive losses," the minister explained.
He mentioned that he had prepared, "since last year," a national programme for the complete modernisation of the district heating plants (CET), in collaboration with the World Bank and the world's top specialists, "to secure funding and finally resolve once and for all the issue of district heating plants and heating systems in major cities across Romania."
Regarding the potential merger between ELCEN and Termoenergetica, Bogdan Ivan held discussions on this matter last year with the former general mayor, the former interim general mayor and several district mayors.
"The discussions focused on the logic of no longer using Romania's strategic state companies for political games. When we have a mayor who controls both the production and distribution of thermal energy, it is fair and natural that they should be able to intervene in this system. Right now, it's a game of cat and mouse, where ELCEN is not paid on time, despite producing thermal energy. It is a company that is accountable to its shareholders. We are open to any discussion. (...) I support any option that will allow us to work in a fair, transparent manner, both for ELCEN, the Ministry of Energy and for the people of Bucharest and the Capital City Hall," Minister Ivan underscored.
He announced that he will have a discussion on this matter with the new general mayor, Ciprian Ciucu.
Energy Minister Bogdan Ivan convened the National Energy Command on Thursday, at the National Energy Dispatch headquarters, taking into account the current weather forecasts. The National Energy Command is responsible for monitoring the operation of the National Energy System (SEN) and the National Natural Gas Transmission System (SNTGN).
Comentează