Romania is the second largest natural gas producer in the EU, after The Netherlands. It currently produces 25-26 million cubic meters of gas each day, which is enough for total consumption in the summertime. It is however not enough for the cold season, as the consumption can peak to 55-60 million cubic meters per day on the coldest days. That means Romania usually has to rely on importing gas in the winter, to make up the difference. It has the potential to export 100 billion cubic meters onshore and 42-84 billion cubic meters onshore, with the problem being that the projects might take over 30 years to implement - if everything is switched to renewables by then, which is the most optimistic version of the future, we wouldn’t need the gas anymore.

Romania’s capacity to produce energy

On paper, Romania has the capacity to produce more electricity than it uses. Sadly, that’s hardly ever the case as some of the production facilities aren’t online or don’t exist anymore. As of October 6th 2022, hydroelectric power plants had declared a total capacity of production of 6641 MWh, representing 36,3% of the total.

In second place, coal burning plants produced 3092 MWh (16,5%) and then wind farms at 3014 MWh (16,5%) came in third. Romania houses the largest onshore wind farm in the EU, the Fântânele-Cogeleac Wind Farm, located in Constanța. The largest wind farm in the world is the Hornsea 2 wind farm in the UK, which became operational in 2022. Hydrocarb burning (gas and heating oil) have produced 2615 MWh (14,3%), nuclear reactors 1413 MWh (7,7%) and solar panels have produced 1393 (7,6%).

Out of all of them, nuclear power is the most stable, producing the maximum capacity of 1413 MWh daily as long as the Danube river’s level remains high enough for the reactors to function at maximum capacity. Unit 1 was installed in 1996. It has a capacity of 700 MWh and a lifespan of 30 years. It will need to have a refurbishment process done in 2027, which would take 2 years to complete. The total value of the operation would rise to around 1,8 billion dollars. Unit 2 has functioned since 2007 and has a 706 MWh capacity, with the refurbishment having to be done in 2037. Initially, the Cernavodă Nuclear Plant was supposed to have 5 reactors; reactor 5’s building was repurposed as an administrative building, and reactors 3 and 4 have been in conservation since 1992.

Good thoughts for the future

Hopefully Romania will implement new measures and find financing for projects to work not towards energy independence as much as towards energy security. Solidarity and good relations with neighboring countries primes.

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