New solar and gas power plants at Oltenia Energy Complex, hope for energy sector

The new projects being prepared by the Oltenia Energy Complex (CEO) represent the light at the end of the tunnel in the Romanian energy production sector, where nothing has been done for a long time, Sorin Elisei, senior manager with Deloitte Romania, told a relevant conference.

"I think the Oltenia projects and the fact that the restructuring plan has been approved are, as far as I am concerned, the light at the end of the tunnel, in a sector where things have been stagnant for a very long time," Elisei told ZF Energy Summit on Wednesday.

He noted, however, that Romania has not undertaken an official document on totally giving up coal and that there have been only statements to that effect, stating that this will happen in 2032. In his view, this statement will be signed and assumed, as the Oltenia Energy Complex restructuring plan materializes.

OMV Petrom and Tinmar will be the partners of the Oltenia Energy Complex in 9 of the company's 10 projects for the construction of new solar and gas power plants, announced Lacramioara Diaconu Pintea, member of the board of CE Oltenia, in the same conference.

"The financing from the Modernization Fund provides us with an important proportion, 70 percent for photovoltaics and 50 percent for combined cycle gas plants. Otherwise we are in talks with two banking unions for all investments and, in addition, we will have the contribution of the Oltenia Energy Complex and of some private investors that we have identified in 9 out of the 10 projects we have," said Pintea.

She mentioned OMV Petrom, which is involved in four solar energy projects, where the shareholding will be 50% -50% with the Oltenia Energy Complex, and Tinmar, where the shareholding will be 55% Tinmar and 45% the Oltenia Energy Complex.

"We are going to sign contracts with them in a few weeks, so that we can set up those project companies in the middle of this year. We expect to get the building permits at the beginning of next year, which will be followed by the opening of the building site. We are currently working on obtaining funding and attracting partners," she said.

The project for which the Oltenia Energy Complex is still looking for partners is the construction of a gas plant in Isalnita. The process will be relaunched next week, with an announcement in the local and international press.

The goal is for the new power plants, with a total capacity of 2,000 MW, to be put into operation, the solar ones in 2024, and the two gas power plants, Isalnita and Turceni, in 2026, Pinta went on to say. (AGERPRES)