The Romanian government has announced plans to extend the operational life of its coal-fired power plants by three years. Energy Minister Sebastian Burduja explained that this temporary measure is necessary due to delays in securing sufficient alternative facilities, particularly natural gas plants. Romania, committed to phasing out coal by 2032 under its National Recovery and Resilience Plan, has faced setbacks in replacing coal plants with gas and renewable energy. Efforts to replace the existing infrastructure, including the restructuring of CE Oltenia, have been delayed, causing the need for a short-term solution. The proposal for the extension will be submitted to the European Commission for approval. The delay in constructing new energy plants, such as the gas-fired units planned for Complexul Energetic Oltenia, has been a key factor in the decision.
