Croatia Faces 70 Megawatt Power Shortage
Experts and HEP assure that supply to citizens is not at risk, but industry could feel the impact. Meanwhile, Hungary and Romania are turning off lights, and ships are stranded near Vukovar.
Experts and HEP assure that supply to citizens is not at risk, but industry could feel the impact. Meanwhile, Hungary and Romania are turning off lights, and ships are stranded near Vukovar.
The Krško nuclear power plant is currently operating at 80 percent capacity, and if the Sava River temperature rises further, production could drop by an additional 15 percent over the weekend. The Slovenian government has already ordered that the plant must not fall below 50 percent capacity, which would mean a complete shutdown. However, Croatian experts are calming the public and stating that the electricity supply system is not under threat.
Davor Grgić, a professor at the University of Zagreb's Faculty of Electrical Engineering and Computing, does not consider the situation alarming. "Given the current conditions on the Sava River, I do not expect any need for further reductions in the next two or three days. They said that below 50 percent would mean a complete shutdown for them, but I believe we won't reach that point," Grgić stated.
Due to reduced production at Krško, Croatia is currently short about 70 megawatts of electricity. Energy expert Ivica Jakić explained the scale of this shortfall: "That's equivalent to the output of a hydroelectric plant on the Drava River, 70 megawatts. On the other hand, it's about the consumption of a larger neighborhood in the city of Zagreb."
From Hrvatska elektroprivreda (HEP), they say the shortfall will be covered from their own sources and through purchases on the wholesale market. "The current reduction in the operation of the Krško nuclear plant will not affect the security of supply for Croatian customers," HEP stated in a press release.
The problem, however, is that electricity on the market is currently twice as expensive as usual. Jakić nevertheless assures that households should not feel the pinch. "It is expected that citizens will not see an increase in electricity prices despite this supply crisis. For industry, it's a bit different, depending on the contracts they have," Jakić said, adding that it all depends on whether the contracted capacity is guaranteed or not.
While the situation in Croatia is under control, Hungary and Romania are facing much more serious consequences of the low Danube water levels. Hungary's Paks nuclear power plant is operating at only 10 percent capacity, prompting Budapest to turn off decorative lighting on public buildings, including the parliament building. In Bucharest, parts of the city have been left in darkness.
Jess Ralston, head of the energy program at the British think tank ECIU, explained why water is crucial: "They need to be cooled to be efficient in generating electricity. So Romania and Hungary are looking for ways to redirect or get more water into those areas for cooling nuclear plants." The Romanian military has even begun mining islands in the Danube to increase water flow and allow the Cernavodă nuclear plant to continue operating.
Croatia is not spared from the effects of the drought on the Danube either. The water level at Vukovar has dropped to minus 65 centimeters, and no improvement is expected in the next 15 days. Borna Čerina from the Navigation Safety Service of the Vukovar Port Authority reported serious problems in river traffic.
"We currently have two cargo ships stranded in the Erdut area. They ran aground last week. They are loaded with artificial fertilizers and grains," Čerina said. He added that three barge pushers with cargo have abandoned further navigation because it has become too dangerous. Financial losses for shipowners are enormous. "All the ships that were supposed to come didn't come. And those that did come are loaded at 20 to 30 percent capacity, so it's a huge cost for the port and everyone else," Čerina concluded.
