CEZ Romania accelerated digitization, launched sustainable solutions for customers in 2020

In 2020, CEZ continued to develop operational projects in the area of ​​digitization, while being equally active in the energy sector and in the life of local communities.

 „We have always been an active member of the local community. In 2020 we went to the next level and found ourselves in the front line with our own team of superheroes. We kept a permanent open dialogue with the local authorities and played our strategic role with the utmost responsability.  Our teams were fully focused on prompt intervention, identifying solutions, maintaining vital electricity quality for hospitals or triage areas, allocating network investments to meet the growing need for electricity consumption. The high degree of digitization at the operational level made it possible to move our operations online within less than a week, keeping the team and the customers safe at home, while providing the necessary services and products to suit their needs. The team has progressed further into a self-taught organization, while our sustainable operating policies have been once more internationally certified by the GRI Institute – the Core option”, said Ondrej Safar – Country Manager and President of the CEZ Romania Directorate.

Renewable energy remains one of the areas of interest for CEZ Group in Romania. The gross production registered in 2020 by CEZ Wind Farm was 1 281 GWh, higher by 77 GWh compared to the previous year. The increase was due to the efficiency projects implemented and the favorable weather conditions. The electricity produced by the hydroelectric power plants owned by TMK Hydroenergy Power in Caraş – Severin County in 2020 was 75.2 GWh, higher by 9.5 GWh than in 2019, due to the investments made in the rehabilitation of the supply channels.

The year 2020 was a year of digitization for CEZ Vânzare. The company aimed to improve the customer experience through a new website design, permanent information of customers through campaigns on Google and Social Media, who were able to stay up to date with the details of their contracts, from the comfort of home. Also in 2020, CEZ Vânzare launched two special products, with a lower price, exclusively online: CEZ Verde Online – electricity and CEZ Gaz Optim Online – natural gas.

Under the umbrella of the ”Green Promise” platform, CEZ Vânzare launched the campaign through which customers who opted for the CEZ Verde product contributed to the purchase of tablets for children from disadvantaged backgrounds. Following the campaign, CEZ Vânzare donated 450 tablets to vulnerable children so that they could benefit from education during the pandemic. This initiative was awarded first place in the Romanian CSR Awards.

Distribuţie Energie Oltenia SA carried out in 2020 an extensive investment program, financed from its own sources, amounting to 198 million RON and a commissioning program amounting to 198 million RON. These have materialized in the following achievements:

CAPEX – 198 million RON

Commissioning – 198 million RON

The investments were directed to: integration of transformation stations in SCADA; modernization and replacement of transformers; installation of remote control equipment; improving the low and medium voltage network; ensuring the favorable conditions for energy consumers for connection to the electricity network.

For the fourth consecutive year, the sustainability report of CEZ Group in Romania and that of the distribution operator were recognized by GRI Institute as being in line with the expectations of stakeholders by respecting the principles of analyzing the materiality of the reported issues.

Sustainability report and stakeholder consultation – a good practice defying the pandemic challenge

In order to carry out the sustainability report, more than 1 600 respondents were consulted. They were company’s employees, local authorities, local community and business partners. They chose the topics of interest to which the company took the responsability to report.

Key figures that described the activity of the distribution operator within the Group in 2020:

The operator installed 189 stork nests (double compared to 2019);

The number of hours of professional training was: 13 395;

The costs of training were: 331,256 RON;

The company’s investments in social responsibility/ community development projects amounted to approximately 878,526 RON (almost double compared to 2019 – due to involvement in support actions in the pandemic context);

In 2020, Distribuție Energie Oltenia continued the geographical expansion of the “Electrician Apprentice” educational program, through the partnership with the Ferdinand I Technological High School from Râmnicu Vâlcea. The implementation of the program continued in Pitești, Târgu Jiu, Alexandria and Drobeta-Turnu Severin, which generated an increase in the number of students enrolled, to approximately 300 beneficiaries who started the school year 2020 – 2021 in September 2020. 19 young graduates started their careers with us and our partners. The operator equipped the 300 students and teachers with tablets so that they can continue school online;

In the electricity supply chain, Distribuție Oltenia worked in 2020 with 364 suppliers. The geographical location of the suppliers mainly involved Romanian suppliers (companies registered in Romania) 99,45 percent and subsidiaries of international/ multinational companies (companies with headquarters abroad) 0,55 percent;

Distribuție Oltenia was the first operator to suspend the activity of its User Care Centers, over 50 percent of all employees continued their activity safely, from home, and colleagues who worked in the field benefited from a safe environment;

In 2020, funds amounting to approximately EUR 59 million were attracted, from own financial sources and co-financing European funds that will be invested in important sectors such as: smart metering, modernization of substations and low and medium networks voltage, implementation of an advanced distribution management system (ADMS), an advanced power network asset management system (AMS) and an integrated SMART Grid Connect system.