Wind power generation has increased so dramatically that Romania has started exporting it

  The wind power generation has increased dramatically at the end of the week and helped Romania to cover its evening consumption, after several days where the energy system relied on substantial imports. On Saturday evening, when consumption usually rises, Romania was generating more electricity than it was using and exporting around 500 MW. This favourable situation continued on Sunday morning, when exports temporarily exceeded 1,000 MW. However, this easing of pressure is dependent on the weather. If the wind drops, the more than 2,000 MW currently supplied by wind turbines could disappear within a short space of time, and Romania will have to make up the shortfall from other sources or through imports. On Saturday, 8 August, at around 9.30 pm, Romania was generating approximately 7,044 MW and consuming 6,543 MW. The difference of around 500 MW was being exported, according to Transelectrica’s operational data. The wind energy was the main electricity source with approximately 2,490 MW representing over 35% of the national production. Batteries and other storage facilities were feeding approximately 530 MW into the grid. Their contribution was significant during the evening, when photovoltaic generation had almost completely ceased at sunset. Hydroelectric power stations supplied around 1,280 MW, fossil fuel power stations around 1,260 MW, coal around 750 MW, and the only operational nuclear reactor produced 681 MW. Wind remained the main source of electricity on Sunday morning as well. At 07:38, total generation stood at 5,648 MW, whilst consumption had fallen to 4,554 MW. Romania was thus exporting approximately 1,093 MW. Wind farms were supplying 2,082 MW, accounting for almost 37 per cent of total national generation. The other major sources were fossil fuel-fired power stations, at 1,230 MW; coal, at 782 MW; nuclear power, at 683 MW; and hydroelectric power, at 578 MW. Photovoltaic panels had begun to generate approximately 230 MW, whilst storage facilities were feeding just 6 MW into the grid. The figures are real-time and change constantly depending on consumption, weather conditions and the availability of generation capacity. The recovery in wind power generation is significant because, in the first few days of August, output had been very low. According to a Mediafax analysis, average daily wind power generation was just 113 MW on 1 August, 173 MW on 2 August, 167 MW on 3 August, 258 MW on 4 August and 171 MW on 5 August. The jump from a few hundred MW to around 2,500 MW temporarily shifted the energy balance. Instead of having to purchase over 2,000 MW from abroad, as had been the case at certain times during the previous days, Romania was able to meet domestic demand and even export electricity. However, this does not mean that the problems that caused the energy crisis have been resolved. Unit 1 of the Cernavod? Nuclear Power Station has been shut down since 28 July due to the extremely low water level of the Danube. Romania’s nuclear generation has remained at around 680 MW, provided by Unit 2. The drought is also affecting hydroelectric power generation, whilst high temperatures are driving up consumption, particularly in the evening, when solar power generation drops rapidly. Wind power depends directly on weather conditions and can vary by thousands of MW over the course of a single day. The wind provided the energy system with a significant respite this weekend, but cannot on its own guarantee that consumption will be met in the coming days. If wind power generation falls again, Romania will have to rely more on energy generated from coal and gas, draw down its available battery reserves, or resort to imports once more.