Oltenia Energy Complex
The Oltenia Energy Complex is a network of coal mines and power plants, operated by Complexul Energetic Oltenia S.A., in Gorj, Vâlce, and Mehedinţi, Romania.
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Location
The map below shows the exact location of the coal mine:
Project Details
Table 2: Project status
| Status | Status Detail | Opening Year | Closing Year |
|---|---|---|---|
| Operating | – | 1957[1] | – |
Table 3: Operation details
| Capacity (Mtpa) | Production (Mtpa) | Year of Production | Mine Type | Mining Method | Mine Size (km2) | Mine Depth (m) | Workforce Size |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| – | 12.5*[2] | 2024[2] | Surface | Open Pit | – | 50* | 695[3] |
Table 4: Coal resources and destination
| Total Reserves (Mt) | Year of Total Reserves Recorded | Total Resources (Mt) | Coalfield | Coal Type | Coal Grade | Primary Consumer/ Destination |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 280 [4] | 2022[4] | – | Oltenia | Lignite | Thermal | – |
Table 5: Ownership and parent company
| Owner | Parent Company | Headquarters |
|---|---|---|
| Complexul Energetic Oltenia SA[5] | Ministry of Energy (Romania) [77.2%]; Fondul Proprietatea SA [21.6%]; other unknown/mixed entity types [1.3%] | Romania |
Table 6: Historical production (unit: million tonnes per annum)
| ROM or Saleable | 2017 | 2018 | 2019 | 2020 | 2021 | 2022 | 2023 | 2024 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| ROM | 22.6[6] | 21.2[6] | 19.785[6] | 13.2[6] | 17*[7][8] | 18.2[9] | 14.5*[10][11] | 12.5*[2][12] |
Note: The above section was automatically generated and is based on data from the Global Coal Mine Tracker April 2024 release and the September and December supplements.
Background
The Oltenia Energy Complex is a network of coal mines and power plants, operated by Complexul Energetic Oltenia S.A., in Gorj, Vâlce, and Mehedinţi, Romania.
The Oltenia Energy Complex was established in 2012 by merging Societatea Naţionala a Lignitului Oltenia with Energy Complexes Turceni, Rovinari and Craiova.
As per Euracoal report from early 2024, reserves of lignite are concentrated in a relatively small area of 250 square kilometres where lignite is mined at ten surface mines.[4][13] The complex has closed several other pits over the years.[1]
Between 2017 and 2021, Oltenia Energy Complex had an average annual production of approximately 18.5 million tonnes of lignite from the ten mines it operates.[13] In 2022, production of the complex reached 18.2 million tonnes.[14] In 2023, estimated coal production of Oltenia complex declined to 14.5 million tonnes.[10][11] National coal production (comprising mainly of Oltenia) was said to have decreased further by 14-17% in 2024, although no exact figure was available, as of April 2025.[2][12]
As of 2024, the Oltenia complex consisted of: Husnicioara Coal Mine, Jilt Sud Coal Mine, Jilt Nord Coal Mine, Lupoaia Coal Mine, Pesteana Coal Mine, Pinoasa Coal Mine, Rosia Coal Mine, Rosiuta Coal Mine, Tismana Coal Mine, Timișeni-Pinoasa Coal Mine.
The Oltenia Energy Complex was established in 2012 by merging Societatea Naţionala a Lignitului Oltenia with Energy Complexes Turceni, Rovinari and Craiova. The company has its material base in Gorj, Vâlcea and Mehedinţi counties with total reserves of 2 billion tonnes of coal.[15]
Approximately 85% of the total production comes from Gorj County, especially in the north of the county where coal is extracted near Motru and Rovinari.
The main beneficiaries of the coal extracted here are the large Romanian power complexes Rovinari power station, Turceni power station and Craiova II power station.
In 2012, almost one hundred permits were issued to Oltenia Energy Complex with regard to several mines, allowing the company to cut down hectares of forest to make way for coal mines. The permits were issued illegally, however, as Bankwatch Romania proved in court over the past six years. After many lawsuits and complaints to the relevant authorities, the Romanian Ministry for Environment informed criminal investigation bodies about this situation. The slow evolution of the lawsuits allowed some areas to be deforested before the trials were finished, as the decisions were not suspended. Someone may be held accountable for the illegal permits that led to the destruction of hundreds of hectares of forest. Six years after the local authorities failed to protect the environment, a criminal investigation began. This law was changed in the meantime, however, enabling large-scale deforestation for projects of ‘public interest’ by removing the mandatory government decisions.[16]
December 2015: Deforestation decisions for Roșia mine are definitively annulled;
March 2017: Deforestation decisions for Jilt Sud mine definitively annulled;
December 2017: The decisions for Jilț Nord are annulled by a court;
March 2018: Deforestation decisions for Rovinari basin are definitively annulled;[17]
October 2019: Court blocks Rosia mine expansion[18]
Coal Retirement:
A Restructuring Plan for the Oltenia Energy Complex was approved by the European Commission in January 2022 which anticipated the phased closure of Husnicioara, Peșteana and Lupoaia quarries and the transition to conservation of Tismana and Jilt Sud from 2026.[19]
In December 2022, coal units at Rovinari and Turceni power plants, each with an installed capacity of 330 MW, as well as their related mining operations were said to continue to function for a further nine months, until October 2023.[20]
In October 2023, Romania's Minister of Energy agreed to a request from unions to seek support from the European Commission for a two-year extension of operations at Rovinari power station and Turceni power station. The extension would allow the continued operation of "mine in Gorj" (presumably, several mines in the Gorj region).[21][22]
In January 2025, Romania proposed to prolong coal phaseout by three years from the original plan of 2032 because there is no other option to achieve energy security and replace existing coal plants.[23]
During discussions with European Commission officials, the arguments for maintaining coal power were presented and the Oltenia Energy Complex was said to be capable of ensuring a production of over 12 million tons of lignite per year. The Oltenia Energy Complex must prepare all the necessary documentation in the coming period and submit them to the European Commission to support Romania's request. [24]
Previous Proposed Expansion
Prior to 2020, Oltenia Energy Complex had an expansion plan, in a joint venture with China Huadian Corporation, to expand production in the Rovinari coal basin by 4.5 million tonnes per annum.[25] The country's National Energy and Climate Plan (NECP) through 2030 – released on January 31, 2020 – removed plans for new coal projects that appeared in earlier drafts, including the 600 MW unit at Rovinari.[26] In November 2020, Romania’s Minister of Economy and Energy, Virgil Daniel Popescu, confirmed to Euronews that no more coal plants will be built in the country, confirming that the proposed 600 MW expansion project has been cancelled.[27][28]
Articles and Resources
Additional data
To access additional data, including an interactive map of world coal mines, a downloadable dataset, and summary data, please visit the Global Coal Mine Tracker on the Global Energy Monitor website.
References
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 "https://eko-unia.org.pl/raport/report_international.pdf" (PDF). eko-unia.org.pl. 2019.
{{cite web}}: External link in|title= - ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 2.3 "INS: Coal production decreased by almost 17% in the first ten months of 2024". /www.energynomics.ro. January 2025.
{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link) - ↑ https://www.ceoltenia.ro/en/.
{{cite web}}: Missing or empty|title=(help) - ↑ 4.0 4.1 4.2 "Romania - Country Profile". /euracoal.eu/. January 2024.
{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link) - ↑ https://www.ceoltenia.ro/en/business/piata-de-carbune/.
{{cite web}}: Missing or empty|title=(help) - ↑ 6.0 6.1 6.2 6.3 https://www.proquest.com/docview/2648423383?sourcetype=Conference%20Papers%20&%20Proceedings.
{{cite web}}: Missing or empty|title=(help)CS1 maint: url-status (link) - ↑ https://www.ceicdata.com/en/indicator/romania/coal-production,.
{{cite web}}: Missing or empty|title=(help)CS1 maint: url-status (link) - ↑ https://balkangreenenergynews.com/romania-plans-to-expand-coal-mine-over-100-hectares-of-forests/.
{{cite web}}: Missing or empty|title=(help)CS1 maint: url-status (link) - ↑ https://euracoal.eu/info/country-profiles/romania-8/,.
{{cite web}}: Missing or empty|title=(help)CS1 maint: url-status (link) - ↑ 10.0 10.1 https://www.ceicdata.com/en/indicator/romania/coal-production#:~:text=Production%20in%202023%3F-.
{{cite web}}: Missing or empty|title=(help)CS1 maint: url-status (link) - ↑ 11.0 11.1 https://www.agenzianova.com/en/news/romania-la-produzione-di-carbone-e-diminuita-del-189-per-cento-nel-2023/.
{{cite web}}: Missing or empty|title=(help)CS1 maint: url-status (link) - ↑ 12.0 12.1 "Romanian energy output falls on weaker hydro, wind yield in 2024". //seenews.com. February 2025.
{{cite web}}: External link in|website= - ↑ 13.0 13.1 "Romania plans to expand coal mine over 100 hectares of forests". balkangreenenergynews.com. January 2023.
{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link) - ↑ "Romania-Country Profile". https://euracoal.eu/. January 2024.
{{cite web}}: External link in|website= - ↑ ROEC,Complexul Energetic Oltenia, accessed September 2020
- ↑ Six years later, a criminal investigation into illegal environment permits finally begins in Romania, Bankwatch Network, accessed October 2019.
- ↑ Six years later, a criminal investigation into illegal environment permits finally begins in Romania, Bankwatch Network, accessed October 2019.
- ↑ Court blocks expansion of Romania's biggest coal mine, euronews, October 23, 2019.
- ↑ "Planul de restructurare a Complexului Energetic Oltenia a fost aprobat de Comisia Europeană. Compania va beneficia de 2,7 miliarde de euro," Targu Jiu, January 27, 2022
- ↑ "Romania delays closure of 660MW coal-fired plants to Oct '23," SeeNews, December 29, 2022
- ↑ "Romania seeks coal plant closure delay from EU," Balkan Green Energy News, October 13, 2023
- ↑ "Ministrul Sebastian Burduja: România va cere aprobarea CE pentru păstrarea în funcțiune a unor grupuri pe lignit la Turceni și Rovinari. Vom avea argumente în baza unui studiu de adecvanță a SEN, la care lucrează Transelectrica," INVESTenergy, October 16, 2023
- ↑ "Burduja: Romania to prolong coal phaseout by three years". balkangreenenergynews.com. January 2025.
{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link) - ↑ "The Oltenia Energy Complex supports the postponement of the closure dates of coal-based energy production capacities for a balanced transition and the protection of Romania's energy security". /www.ceoltenia.ro/. February 2025.
{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link) - ↑ Euracoal, Romania, accessed September 2020
- ↑ "Mixed messages in Romania's energy and climate plan, as new coal projects are shelved but no date set for a coal phase-out". Bankwatch. 2020-02-17. Retrieved 2020-06-30.
- ↑ Hans von der Brelie, "Romania’s coal-black heartland embraces Europe's Green New Deal," Euronews, Nov. 13, 2020
- ↑ "As Romania's last new coal project is cancelled, a larger gas threat looms". Bankwatch. 2020-11-19. Retrieved 2020-12-17.
{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
