Romanian energy group Electrica signed on Monday, August 24, a contract to develop a new high-efficiency cogeneration plant in Craiova, designed to supply both the city’s district heating system and the national electricity grid. The natural gas-fired facility will be hydrogen-ready and capable of restarting independently during a power outage.

The plant will have an installed electrical capacity of approximately 82 MW and a thermal capacity of around 179 Gcal per hour, equivalent to roughly 208 MWt. Its cogeneration units will be supplemented by installations providing peak and backup heat production.

The thermal energy will supply Craiova’s centralized heating system, which currently serves approximately 53,000 homes and public institutions. The new plant will replace an existing coal-based source, ending the use of lignite as the city’s main heating fuel, according to the company.

The thermal energy storage system will allow heat and electricity production to be managed separately. The engines will be able to generate electricity during periods of higher market prices, while the heat produced simultaneously can be stored and delivered later according to demand.

The engines will initially operate on natural gas but are designed to use a hydrogen blend when the fuel becomes available at an industrial scale, Electrica said.

The plant will also have black-start capability, allowing it to begin operating without an external electricity supply and help restart the grid following a blackout.

According to Electrica, the unit is designed to reach maximum output in approximately two minutes after startup and synchronize with the electricity network in less than 30 seconds. It will also be able to provide system services and participate in the balancing market.

The project will be developed in two stages. Hot-water boilers will be installed first to provide heat production capacity, followed by the commissioning of the cogeneration engines for the simultaneous generation of electricity and thermal energy.

The company did not disclose the project’s value or its expected completion date.

Electrica Group serves four million users and distributes electricity across 18 counties in the Transylvania North, Transylvania South and Muntenia North regions. Its holding company has been listed on the Bucharest and London stock exchanges since July 2014 and is majority privately owned.

irina.marica@romania-insider.com

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