Frequent malfunctions of nuclear reactors bite into revenues and energy output

Since the beginning of the year, three disconnections occurred at the two reactors of the Cernavoda nuclear power plant, while Reactor 1 is scheduled to be taken offline for a month (from May through June) for maintenance work. All these malfunctions have affected the results of one of the leading energy generators in Romania.
“In the first three months of this year, Nuclearelectrica’s energy sales expressed in MWH fell by around 1.5% against the similar period of last year. The decline had to do with the reduction in the amount of energy generated in Cernavoda, as a result of unplanned stoppages recorded in the first quarter. The company’s revenues from the sale of energy were lower by around 4.5% in the first quarter of 2010 against the similar period of last year. In addition to the reduction in the amount of energy sold, prices on the competitive energy market were another factor – they fell in 2010 against 2009,” say representatives of Nuclearelectrica, operator of the Cernavoda power plant, which last year delivered around 20% of the overall energy consumed in Romania.