Romania braces for potential energy crisis as Danube levels drop

Romania's energy sector is grappling with the repercussions of critically low water levels on the Danube River, which threaten power generation and the operational capacity of energy facilities. Cristian Bușoi, State Secretary at the Ministry of Energy, acknowledged that recent increases in the river's flow are insufficient to fully mitigate the risks.

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It is not enough with how much the Danube's flow has risen. It is possible that it will have a limited effect, it will not last very long.

Authorities are actively developing contingency plans, including the possibility of restricting energy consumption for major industrial users should pressure on the national energy system intensify. Bușoi, speaking during "Adevărul Interviews," stressed that such measures would not affect the general population, emphatically ruling out any limitations on household energy use.

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There is not even the smallest risk that consumption will be limited for citizens.

Bușoi differentiated the current situation from national blackout scenarios, asserting that the National Energy System possesses the capability to manage peak demand periods. He also drew a distinction between systemic energy issues and localized power outages, which can occur due to problems within distribution networks without jeopardizing the entire system. The situation in Romania was contrasted with a recent large-scale power outage in Spain, which Bușoi attributed to different causes, including production overcapacity and dispatcher errors.

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Blackout scenarios have nothing to do with this aspect. The National Energy System can regulate itself during peak hours.