The Romanian company Nuclearelectrica plans to use electricity imported from Ukraine to cover the shortfall caused by the shutdown of the first power unit at the Cernavodă Nuclear Power Station, and, consequently, to minimise the impact of this shortfall on the Romanian electricity market, the company announced on Facebook on Monday.
“Nuclearelectrica is purchasing electricity from Ukraine; this purchase is being facilitated by Energocom, an electricity supplier from the Republic of Moldova,” Nuclearelectrica stated.
According to the company, the energy situation in Romania has been exacerbated by a severe drought and falling water levels in rivers, particularly the Danube. The first power unit at the Cernavodă Nuclear Power Plant was shut down as scheduled a week ago.
Furthermore, as Hungarian Prime Minister Péter Magyar previously reported, as a result of record-low water levels in the Danube, Hungary will be forced to completely shut down the country’s only nuclear power station – Paks – for the first time in the plant’s 44-year history. The shutdown, he said, could last several weeks.
The Paks nuclear power station generates almost half of Hungary’s total electricity – its shutdown could lead to a serious power shortage.
As reported, between 20 and 26 July, Hungary remained the main destination for Ukrainian electricity exports, with 22,500 MWh (40 per cent of total exports) supplied there.
Exports to Moldova totalled 19,600 MWh (34.8 per cent), and to Romania – 11,100 MWh (19.7 per cent).
Overall, from 6 to 26 July, Ukraine maintained its status as a net exporter of electricity for three consecutive weeks; in particular, from 20 to 26 July, the volume of Ukrainian electricity exports exceeded imports by 70 per cent.