The Territorial Labour Inspectorate (ITM) has conducted 43 checks at the Hunedoara Energy Complex this year, with 185 warnings and two fines amounting to RON 17,000 for irregularities at Lupeni coalmine. The mine hasn’t received hydraulic poles since 2013.
ITM Spokesman Sorin Istrate said on Monday that new irregularities have been found at Lupeni and Vulcan coalmines.
Out of 187 sanctions, 185 were warnings.
Lupeni coalmine was sanctioned in spring by RON 10,000 fine because one gallery did not provide enough space.
ITM Hunedoara has also fined Vulcan coalmine, as the miners did not have proper equipment and protection.
Three miners were caught underground following a mining gallery collapse last Thursday at Lupeni mine in Jiu Valley, with several rescue crews being called to the site. Two have been eventually rescued after 12 hours, while a third one died. The two rescued miners were conscious, but one of them died on Saturday at Floreasca Hospital in Bucharest.
After the collapse, 11 out the 14 miners managed to get out.
In Jiului Valley only four coalmines are operational – Lupeni, Lonea, Livezeni and Vulcan, part of the Hunedoara Energy Complex along with Mintia and Paroseni thermal-plants.
Lupeni Mine has been included on the list of mining exploitations to be closed down, along with Lonea Mine, considered as non-viable.
In May 2017, State Secretary with the Energy Ministry, Doru Visan, said the coal exploitation from Lupeni and Lonea will go on until 2018 and the works on closing down the mines will be completed by 2027, according to the maximum deadlines from the European Commission.