Crude oil at SA Termoelectrica seeped out on the night of November 7-8, 2022. As a result of a fissure in a steam pipe, an insignificant quantity of crude oil poured out. Appropriate measures were taken on the spot, not yet later, when the crude oil was to be stored and taken away. As a result, three persons holding responsible posts are to be penalized. The company paid a fine of 20,000 lei, IPN reports.
In a news conference, Termoelectrica acting director Iurie Razlovan said the commission of inquiry presented its conclusions concerning the crude oil leakage at the company. This said that a steam pipe fissure was to blame. An insignificant quantity of crude out mixed with steam poured out. The technological loss was insignificant.
“The operators acted appropriately, but the way in which the situation was managed later generated problems. The crude oil should have been collected and stored appropriately and should have been handed over to an enterprise for this to either recycle the fuel or to use it. This didn’t happen. The crude oil is now being collected in sacks and stored in a safe place. This crude oil will be given to a company for using it for roads or to an asphalt factory,” stated the acting director of Termoelectrica.
As regards public reports about the poor quality of the crude oil, Iurie Razlovan said the documents show that the crude oil bought the past two years is complaint. If the documents had been falsified, other responsible bodies should determine this.
In a news conference, the chairman of Our Party Renato Usatyi presented videos showing how a large quantity of crude oil is being buried within the precincts of Termoelectrica. He noted that this happened during the 2022-2023 heating season. The previous administration of Termoelectrica denied the reports, saying that the crude oil, since it was purchased in 2022, hadn’t been poured out or buried and no accidents occurred in the technological process of receiving, transferring, storing or using the crude oil. At end-July Vasile Leu resigned as the company’s director, with Iurie Razlovan being named acting head.