Romanian government to pay EUR 24 mln to close unprofitable coal mines

Romania’s Energy Ministry prepares to pay RON 113 million (EUR 24 million) this year to the two major coal energy producers in Romania, Oltenia and Hunedoara Energy Complexes, in order to finance the closure of uncompetitive coal mines.

These amounts are granted on the basis of a European Commission decision approved in December 2010 on state aid to facilitate the closure of uncompetitive coal mines.

In November 2018, the European Commission found that the energy company Hunedoara Energy Complex (CE Hunedoara) has received incompatible aid from the Romanian state, amounting to approximately EUR 60 million, through four publicly funded loans. Currently, Romania has to recover the illegal aid and related interest.

Romania’s pit coal resources would be sufficient for 104 years, but their exploitation is impossible, being economically inefficient, so that four of the five groups in Deva will be closed down, show the draft of Romania’s Energy Strategy 2018 – 2030.