Romania will ask the European Commission to extend from 2021 to 2024 the deadline for its coal-firing thermal power plants to become compliant with the European environmental requirements, state secretary with the Ministry of Energy Doru Visan said Thursday.
"The European Commission has adopted the new Best Available Techniques (BATs), which are much more restrictive. According to the new requirements, it is necessary to have a set of technical and investment measures. Technical measures means primary measures, stopping power groups, which for the heat plants of Oltenia would mean at least six months, and then a schedule should be made, a stoppage calendar for each facility, correlated with ensuring the operation of the other groups for the safety of the energy system, and also securing the cash flow for the company," Visan told a Thermal Energy Forum.According to Visan, the Ministry of Energy has started up a study to find the need for investment in compliance with the new environmental requirements.
"In terms of investment, that is a great effort and we have started up a study to give us these dimensions. We have asked the Ministry of the Environment and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs to ask for deferment, an extension from 2021 to 2024 to fall in line," said Visan.
AGERPRES .