The Minister of Energy, Virgil Popescu stated on Wednesday, at the beginning of the Government meeting, that, in accordance with the European Commission’s proposals to save energy, the Executive can replace “lighting fixtures that are not efficient” with ones that are in public institutions. Prime Minister Nicolae Ciucă requested that these measures be presented by each ministry “in two weeks” to be “an example in terms of reducing waste”.
“Regarding the saving of electricity, the Commission came up with the proposal to make it mandatory during peak consumption hours with very high prices to reduce electricity. From a technical point of view, it is discussed how each thing could be implemented at Member State level. Here in Romania, I think we have a much greater margin of maneuver than the other states. I think that in the future, both in the domestic and non-domestic areas, public institutions believe that there is room, for example, to change lighting fixtures that are not efficient with efficient lighting fixtures, which is possible in the other member states to be done already”, said Virgil Popescu.
“I am asking for these possibilities to materialize in measures at the level of each ministry, to be presented at the Government meeting in over two weeks. I want to have a presentation of this plan at the level of the Government and for each ministry to take measures so that we can let’s be an example in terms of reducing waste at the level of state institutions”, PM Ciuca had previously asked the ministers.
The President of the European Commission, Ursula von der Leyen, said on Wednesday, during the State of the EU speech, that, in the context of the energy crisis in the European market, “reducing peak-hour energy demand will make stocks last longer and brings prices down.”
The European Commission is close to finalizing a plan of measures that provides for capping the profits of energy companies and directing the money to consumers. Also, according to the document to be presented by the head of the Commission, consulted by Bloomberg, member countries should reduce their net monthly electricity consumption by at least 10% and by 5% during peak hours.