August 14 (SeeNews) - Nuclearelectrica, the operator of Romania's sole nuclear power plant Cernavoda, said on Tuesday its first-half net profit rose 16% on the year to 182.3 million lei ($45 million/39 million euro) on the back of increased electricity sales.
EBIT rose by 27.3% year-on year, while EBITDA grew by 10.5%, mainly due to the increase of the operating income by 13% influenced by higher energy sales, Nuclearelectrica said in an interim financial statement filed with the Bucharest Stock Exchange, BVB.
The company's total revenue grew by an annual 11% to 970.8 million lei in the first half.
Nuclearelectrica produced about 4.96 GWh of electricity in the six months through June, down 1.9% on the year. Electricity sales generated revenues of 541.2 million lei in the first half, up 11.8% year-on-year.
The company also said it plans to invest 244.8 million lei this year, mainly into upgrade works at Cernavoda NPP, of which it has already invested 30.5%.
Nuclearelectrica's net profit tripled to 303 million lei last year, driven by higher electricity sales.
The Cernavoda plant, located in southeastern Romania, has two reactors of 700 megawatts each, which meet roughly a fifth of the country's power needs.
Nuclearelectrica shares traded 1.47% higher at 7.39 lei by 1540 CET on Tuesday on the Bucharest bourse.
Romania's energy ministry holds a 82.49% stake in Nuclearelectrica.
(1 euro =4.6590 Romanian lei)