Fire at Bucharest power plant leaves thousands without hot water

A major fire at a combined heat and power plant (CHP) in Bucharest has disrupted the hot water supply for thousands of residents and could have long-term consequences for the capital’s energy system, HotNews reports.

According to authorities, the incident affected areas in Sectors 1, 5 and 6 of Bucharest, including Militari and Drumul Taberei, leaving more than 3,000 apartment buildings without hot water.

Following the fire, the plant was temporarily shut down, with part of the load taken over by other heating facilities. Authorities expect the hot water supply to be restored in the near term, although full equipment recovery may take significantly longer.

Romanian Energy Minister Bogdan Ivan said that eliminating the consequences could take up to one year if current equipment is used, although emergency measures are being considered to speed up repairs.

Preliminary findings suggest the fire was caused by an electrical fault at a 6 kV substation, which disabled electrical protection systems. A technical investigation and damage assessment are currently underway.

By Jeyhun Aghazada