Romania’s electricity output increased by 4.5% in the first quarter of 2015, to 17 TWh, but internal consumption dropped by 3.6%, to 12.5 TWh.

Thus, the country’s electricity exports almost doubled, to 2.58 TWh, according to data from the National Statistics Institute (INS).

The electricity production increase was mainly supported by hydro-power plants and renewables (wind and solar).

Hydropower rose by over a third, to 4.94 TWh, while the wind power output went up by almost 30%, to 1.78 TWh and solar power production increased by 62%, to 264 GWh.

Thermal power plants, however, reduced their production by 12.6%, to 7.02 TWh. Meanwhile, the nuclear power plant at Cernavoda generated some 3 TWh of electricity.

The electricity demand continued its decline, as companies reduced their consumption by 6.4%, to 9.19 TWh.

The population used 4.3% more electricity than in the first quarter of 2014 (some 3.16 TWh).

editor@romania-insider.com