E-Distributie intensifies its activity in the field, following the increase in energy consumption and heat weather warnings
Bucharest, 26 July 2023 – Very high temperatures recorded throughout the country in recent days have led to a substantial increase in energy consumption. The E-Distributie companies, the electricity distribution operators within the Enel Group, have mobilized increased numbers of teams in the field to monitor and intervene as soon as possible in case of potential failures in the grid, amid extreme weather conditions.
According to E-Distribuție Muntenia data, a consumption peak at the level of the Capital and the counties of Ilfov and Giurgiu was reached on July 25, 2023, at 17:00, when it amounted to 1,502 MW, 59% more compared to the figures recorded on a day in May this year, with temperatures specific to that period. In Bucharest, the area with the highest consumption of electricity on July 25, higher by 54% compared to a day with usual temperature values, was in the north of the capital. Areas such as Filaret, Berceni-Progresul, Drumul Taberei, Pantelimon, respectively the town of Chitila in Ilfov county also recorded high household consumption, generated by the intensive use of air conditioners. E-Distribution Dobrogea recorded a higher consumption by up to 39% on July 25 compared to the figures recorded in the second half of May 2023, and E-Distribution Banat by up to 21% on July 25, reported in May of this year.
Also, during this period, the highest number of calls was reached in the technical call center serving the regions of Muntenia, Banat and Dobrogea, on July 21 reaching a total number of over 28,500, almost thirteen times more than an average of 2,200 daily calls in May of the same year. The days with the highest numbers of calls during this period were those with high temperatures, which led to an increase in electricity consumption, and those with extreme weather phenomena, such as tempests and storms.
Customers in Bucharest and Ilfov and Giurgiu counties have at their disposal the free number 0800.070.888 for signaling interruptions in electricity supply, and those in Arad, Caras-Severin, Hunedoara, and Timis counties can call 0800.070.444. Customers in Calarasi, Constanta, Ialomița, and Tulcea counties can call 0800.070.555. The Green Line numbers in the technical call centers are available 24/7 and can be used free of charge from the national territory. During the calls, customers are informed about the areas affected by the outage and the interval for restoring them. Details about outages in the electricity supply are also available on the https://www.e-distributie.com/ro/intreruperi-curent.html page where interruptions are displayed on an interactive map updated every 30 minutes depending on the area and dedicated numbers are also displayed for customers in each county in the concession areas of E-Distributie companies.
Taking into account the heat weather warnings, E-Distributie companies estimate that consumption values will remain high in the coming days and recommend energy consumption as efficiently as possible and not exceeding the approved power of the installation at each consumption site, for the safe supply of homes or commercial constructions. It is recommended to use household appliances and other equipment in the house in a balanced way, throughout the day being appropriate to use only the absolutely necessary equipment and appliances, and not simultaneously, especially in the case of appliances with high energy consumption.
When using air conditioners, it is recommended to gradually cool the house, a method that reduces energy consumption by half compared to setting the appliance at very low temperatures. Specifically, consumers can set the temperature to 24 degrees Celsius instead of 18 and leave the device on. More tips on energy efficiency in homes are available here.
E-Distributie companies regret any inconvenience felt by customers in case of accidental interruptions in electricity supply and assure them that they make every effort to avoid them and to ensure the smooth operation of the grid.
E-Distributie companies operate networks with a total length of over 133,000 kilometers in three important areas of the country: South Muntenia (including Bucharest), Banat and Dobrogea, covering one third of the local distribution market, and are developing an investment program to improve service quality, network safety and performance and local implementation of Enel Group's environmental standards. The power grids operated by the three E-Distributie companies include 286 primary substations and over 24,000 substations.