Romania's sole nuclear power plant running at full throttle

BUCHAREST, ROMANIA - Romania's sole nuclear power plant is running at full throttle to ensure necessary electricity for the country, state-owned company Nuclearelectrica said.

"We are aware of the situation the energy system is undergoing and we are watching the installations carefully," said Teodor Chirica, general manager of Nuclearelectrica.

"We have at present a gross output of 1,419 megawatts and 70 percent of the current production goes to the regulated market." he said, "Through our share on the market we represent at present an important support for the energy system."

Romania declared a state of emergency as gas supplies from Russia were completely cut off in the fallout of Moscow's price row with Ukraine.

Authorities also decided to resort to reducing fuel consumption at heat-power stations and utilizing alternative fuel.

Chirica said the two reactors of the Cernavoda-based nuclear power plant are running at full speed.

"The turbines are running at full nominal power," he said.

The Cernavoda plant is the first and also the only nuclear power plant in Romania. Designed in Canada in the 1980s, it has two reactors that are currently fully operational, producing some 20 percent of the country's electricity.