“The consumption has reached historic levels…The stored gas has been supplemented with imports,” said Claudiu Stafie, state secretary with the ministry.
The ministry official said Romania imported 17.5 million cubic meters of natural gas Tuesday and the volumes are estimated to reach 20 million cubic meters Wednesday.
Stafie said the situation is manageable and there is no need to declare emergency.
“We have enough gas for both household and industrial consumers,” he added.
OMV Petrom (SNP.RO) and Romgaz Medias, Romania’s top natural gas producers, announced they have increased natural gas imports to cover the growing demand.
Additionally, gas supplier GDF SUEZ Energy Romania, a unit of French-Belgian utility GDF SUEZ, said it has increased imports by around 8 million cubic meters a day in the January 23-January 31 period.
The company said gas deliveries rose by one third to 22 million cubic meters a day, from 17 million cubic meters a day before the cold wave hit late last week.
Heavy snow and severe cold temperatures have killed six Romanians over the past days and meteorologists forecast the cold wave would not break until at least Friday.