“Some producers benefitted from the crisis, while others lost out. Naturally those who produce inexpensive energy should theoretically produce more in this period, but not all had a market, so if there are fewer clients or these reduce their consumption, it is likewise normal that one readjusts supply,” said energy market specialists. These added that layoffs and forced time off, two practices used by companies to reduce costs, have led to a rise in residential energy consumption, as more people stayed home, watching television, cooking, or using air conditioners.
The contraction of commercial sector consumption was significant, with the decline in several months as high as 45 percent. However, public lighting increased by 7.7 percent. In the first seven months, the production of electricity in thermal energy plants dropped by 3.898 billion KWh (-18.9 percent), in hydroelectric plants by 1.281 billion KWh (-11.2 percent), while rising by 589.1 million KWh (+9.7 percent) in nuclear plants.
“The rise in Nuclearelectrica’s production is due to the fact that we managed to complete the revision this year three days prior to the deadline,” according to an explanation for Business Standard by the state-owned company’s General Manager, Pompiliu Budulan. He added that the company has been affected financially, in spite of a rise in production, and did not accept requests for a deduction in quantities and prices from companies with which it has contracts, except in exceptional cases.
In the first eight months of the eyar, national energy consumption dropped by some 10 percent, while exports also declined significantly, said Octavian Lohan, Deputy General Manager of Transelectrica.
