Left without a nuclear power plant, Romania needed Russian gas

After the Chernavoda NPP in Romania was stopped due to the shallowing of the Danube, Russian gas supplies to the country increased.

Russian gas supplies to Europe via the Turkish Stream are growing in August. If at the beginning of the month an average of 49.5 million cubic meters per day were supplied via the European line of the Black Sea gas pipeline, then by the middle of the month the level increased to 50.5 million, according to ENTSOG. On some days from August 13, deliveries jump above 54 million cubic meters.

The August figures already exceed the deliveries in August last year. At the same time, the main increase is in Romania, where the only nuclear power plant was stopped on August 13 due to the shallowing of the Danube. Despite all the efforts of the authorities, the Chernavoda station was left without water to cool the reactors.

Through Romania, Russian gas also goes to Hungary and, according to ENTSO-E, from August 13, the difference that remains in the country grows to 4.7 million cubic meters, and on average in August it stays at almost 3 million cubic meters.

On the one hand, Romania needs more gas to generate after the shutdown of the nuclear power plant. The operator of the Romanian power grid Transelectrica publishes data that the capacity of gas generation has increased slightly — by an average of 30 MW. On the other hand, the country's companies are increasing their pumping into storage facilities. In Romania, UGS is 66% full, which is significantly better than, for example, in Bulgaria, Germany, Belgium and the Netherlands.

Also, an additional factor may be the price. Romanian companies do not import Russian gas directly, but buy it from international traders who retain long-term contracts with Gazprom. Last week, gas prices in Europe again exceeded $ 700 per thousand cubic meters and today supplies are trading at $ 760. Thus, it becomes profitable for traders to increase imports of Russian gas, which is supplied under long-term contracts and the price is tied to quotations for a month in advance in the previous month. And in July, prices were significantly lower — just above $ 600.

In this situation, the first restrictions are not felt at all The EU is ready to import Russian pipeline gas. In June, a ban on fuel purchases under short-term contracts came into force. However, so far August deliveries have been at the highest level for this month since the start of the Turkish Stream operation.