The Oltenia Energy Complex does not close coal plants, but receives new state aids for restructuring

The government approved a draft decision on the approval of the granting of the Oltenia Energy Complex of a state aid for restructuring, in the form of grant, worth 279.1 million lei. The money is to finance the expenses with the greenhouse gas emissions certificates for the year 2025 and to comply with the legal environmental obligations by the company.

This measure is part of a larger plan, approved and monitored at European level, for restructuring the company, which provides for a total allocation of grants worth 1,090 billion euros for the period 2021-2025.

This CEO's restructuring plan was authorized by the European Commission in January 2022.

Even if he receives state aid for restructuring, the company will not respect the plan for which he has committed to the European Commission. The day before the Executive approved the new state aid, the Minister of Energy announced that the coal plants cannot be closed on January 1, 2026, as Romania has engaged, because there are no capacities in the band with which to be replaced.

However, the Oltenia Energy Complex may risk being put in a situation to return the amounts, if it does not comply with the restructuring plan.

So far, the Oltenia SA Energy Complex has received grants in the cumulative amount of 946.4 million euros for the purchase of greenhouse gas emissions certificates in 2021, 2022, 2023 and 2024. The total authorized state aid, in the form of grant, for 2025, is worth about 705 million lei.

The state aid granted to the Oltenia Energy Complex in order to cover the costs of CO2 certificates is essential for maintaining the viability of the company and respecting the commitments made in the restructuring plan authorized by the European Commission.

The Ministry of Energy monitors the implementation of the measures in the restructuring plan and ensures compliance with the conditions approved by the European Commission.

Burduja: The European Commission is open to discussions

“The commission is still open to discussions,” said the Minister of Energy for HotNews.ro, asked what is the position of Brussels compared to Romania's requests to extend the CE Oltenia restructuring plan.

Regarding the study of adequate that Transelectrica had to do, Burduja stated: “It is in work, it was assigned, it works on it.”

What Minister Burduja said in October 2023, about the same topic:

• “We need to change the restructuring plan (of the Oltenia Energy Complex – no) with the approval of the European Commission, because otherwise it will be declared illegal state aid, and an illegal state aid of 1.2 billion lei means the end for the Oltenia Energy Complex and we cannot risk this scenario, and it also means a renegoccation of the PNR, which has already been renegoted, for Out, which I do not think has precedent ”.