The phenomenon of photovoltaics: The number of connected prosumers approaches 100,000, and the installed power is almost as much as two nuclear reactors

2023-11-17 10:28:49

​A report from the National Energy Regulatory Authority (ANRE) shows that the phenomenon of photovoltaics is gaining momentum from month to month. The number of prosumers connected to the distribution networks exceeded 96 thousand in September, and the installed electric power was 1,226 MW.

Photovoltaic panelPhoto: AGERPRES

These are the data at the level of September, but considering that the number of daily connections can exceed 200, certainly, at the present time, we have over 100,000 prosumers and an installed power of over 1,400 MW, the same as the two nuclear reactors in Cernavodă .

ANRE representatives believe that at the current rate, an installed capacity of 2,000 MW will be reached in one year. Practically all estimates made so far are exceeded. Two years ago, ANRE estimated that a capacity of 2,000 MW would be reached only in 2030.

A new law for the benefit of prosumers

For now, there are no limits up to which this photovoltaic phenomenon will be evaluated. The Chamber of Deputies voted a new law for the benefit of prosumers, which is to be sent to the Presidency of Romania for promulgation.

One of the provisions refers to the modification of the definition of the prosumer, being added, among others, the activity of electricity storage.

What a prosumer will be able to do:

a) may store and sell electricity produced or stored to the electricity supplier with whom he has concluded an electricity supply contract and/or to consumers connected to the power plant’s busbars;

b) can compensate financially the surplus of electricity produced and delivered to a place of production and consumption with the electricity consumed from the network for other places of consumption and/or places of production and consumption thereof:

• if the supply service for the respective places of consumption and/or places of production and consumption is provided by the same electricity supplier;
• if the places of consumption and/or the places of production and consumption are connected to the electricity network of the same electricity distribution operator, provided that the production of electricity does not constitute their primary commercial or professional activity;”

It also increases the limit for quantitative compensation from 200 kW to 400 kW. The limit for which imbalances are not paid also increases from 400 kW to 900 kW.

How much will the power grid be able to handle?

Distributors and representatives of the energy carrier believe that the authorities should consider measures to temper the pace of growth of installed power.

Without limits, this business might backfire precisely on the prosumers, as the power grid is so old and worn that it cannot cope, leading to blackouts.

The National Energy Dispatcher within Transelectrica reports that it already has problems with balancing the system due to the large number of prosumers and the fact that the energy introduced by them into the network is fluctuating.

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