OMV Petrom, the largest oil company in Romania, which is also active on the energy market, became the fourth biggest electricity producer in the country last year, according to energy sector regulator ANRE’s annual report.

The group produced 3.46 TWh of electricity in 2015, namely 5.7% of Romania’s entire electricity production. It produced more than thermal power producers Electrocentrale Bucuresti and Complexul Energetic Hunedoara.

OMV Petrom produces electricity at its 860 MW gas power plant in Brazi and Dorobantu wind park in Dobrogea. The Brazi power plant has high operational flexibility, which allows it to be quickly started and stopped, reads a Petrom report. The starting time is about 50% shorter than for a coal-run power plant.

Romania's state-controlled electricity transporter Transelectrica thus uses the Brazi power plant to support the national electricity system when there are fluctuations in the energy stemming from renewable sources.

Hidroelectrica was the largest power producer last year, with over 16.1 TWh of electricity produced, or 25.7% of the total. It was followed by Complexul Energetic Oltenia (15 TWh), and Nuclearelectrica (11.6 TWh).

Gas producer Romgaz was the 7 biggest electricity producer through its gas power plant Iernut, which produced 1.8 TWh of electricity in 2015.

The biggest renewable energy producer was Enel Green Power Romania, which generated 1.33 TWh of electricity.

Wind energy accounted for 11% of Romania’s electricity output in 2015 and solar energy reached 2.43%. Hydro energy had the highest share in the total output, of 27.4%, followed by coal – 26.9%, nuclear -17.8%, and gas -13.7%.

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editor@romania-insider.com