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Grid connection in Romania
Grid access decides which projects get built: the connection steps and the 2026 allocation rules.
In shortConnecting a power plant in Romania runs through a technical connection permit (ATR), a connection contract and a connection certificate issued by Transelectrica or a distribution operator. Since 21 May 2026, Order 15/2026 of ANRE (Romanian Energy Regulatory Authority) requires a participation guarantee of EUR 20,000 per MW for capacity allocation requests, and Transelectrica allocates capacity by area through its updated June 2026 procedure. In 2026 to 21 August, 2,514 MW of new generation and storage was connected.
Key facts
- EUR 20,000/MWparticipation guarantee for grid capacity allocation under ANRE Order 15/20262026-05-21 · ANRE Order 15/2026; Transelectrica procedure (June 2026)
- 2,514 MWnew generation and storage connected to the grid in 2026 (year to date)Photovoltaic 1,331 MW, storage 663 MW, wind 496 MW, hydrocarbons 20 MW, biogas 5 MW.2026-08-21 · Transelectrica
- ~1,000 MW + ~1,000 MWTranselectrica projection for additional solar/wind and additional storage to be connected by December 2026 (projection, not a result)2026-08-21 · Transelectrica
Capacity connected to the Romanian grid in 2026, by technology
MW, 1 January to 21 August 2026
View as table
| Item | MW |
|---|---|
| Photovoltaic | 1,331 |
| Storage | 663 |
| Wind | 496 |
| Hydrocarbons | 20 |
| Biogas | 5 |
The connection steps
A generation or storage project first requests a technical connection permit (aviz tehnic de racordare, ATR) from the relevant grid operator, which sets the connection point, the capacity and the works required. A connection contract follows, under which the applicant pays the connection tariff and the works are built, and a connection certificate confirms that the installation may operate. High-voltage projects connect to Transelectrica's transmission network; smaller ones connect through the regional distribution operators. Validity periods, deposit rules and deadlines attached to each step have tightened in 2025-2026 to clear speculative reservations.
What changed with ANRE Order 15/2026
ANRE Order 15 of 21 May 2026 amended the methodology for allocating network capacity to generation sites. Applicants must now lodge a participation guarantee of EUR 20,000 per MW requested, calculated in lei at the National Bank of Romania rate on the issue date, and requests already registered before the order had to post the guarantee by 14 July 2026. Transelectrica published an updated capacity allocation procedure on 11 June 2026, together with the auction platform and documents, and moved to area-dependent allocation: availability now depends on where a project sits, not only on when it applied. Our analysis of the first grid capacity auction describes how the eligible list stage worked in practice.
Interconnection and export capacity
Romania cut electricity imports to 1.8% of consumption in 2026 as renewables supplied more than half of production, according to our September 2026 analysis of Transelectrica data, which shifts attention to export capacity. The new 400 kV Vulcănești-Chișinău line towards Moldova was energised in August 2026, and the Romania-Bulgaria-Greece corridor is forming as a regional route for CEE power. Transelectrica's 2024-2033 development plan and EU grid-infrastructure initiatives will decide how quickly the connection queue turns into connected capacity.
Curtailment and congestion
Congestion in solar-heavy areas and midday surpluses have made curtailment and negative prices part of the operating environment. Area-based allocation is Transelectrica's response; for investors, the practical consequence is that the same megawatt is worth more in a county with headroom than in one where the transmission lines are already full.
What this means for investors
- A project's value in 2026 is inseparable from its grid status: request the ATR, the capacity allocation documents and the guarantee receipts before anything else.
- Budget the EUR 20,000/MW guarantee and the connection tariff into the development plan.
- Location is now a bid parameter: projects in areas with transmission headroom carry less delivery risk.
- Export routes (Moldova, Bulgaria, Greece) will matter for merchant projects in the south-east.
Momentum Energy's view
The 2026 rule changes are the most investor-friendly development in the Romanian market in years, even though they add cost, because they replace a queue nobody could read with a procedure that assigns capacity to projects able to pay for it. We expect the eligible lists and auction results to become the clearest map of which projects are real.
The view above is Momentum Energy's opinion and is separated from the sourced facts in the tables. It is not investment advice.
Frequently asked questions
What is an ATR in Romania?
The technical connection permit (aviz tehnic de racordare) issued by the grid operator. It defines the connection point, capacity and required works and is the first formal step in connecting a generation or storage project.
How much is the grid capacity participation guarantee?
EUR 20,000 per MW requested, under ANRE Order 15/2026, calculated in lei at the National Bank of Romania exchange rate on the issue date. Requests registered before the order had to post it by 14 July 2026.
How is grid capacity allocated in Romania?
Through Transelectrica's capacity allocation procedure, updated in June 2026, which allocates capacity by area through competitive procedures and an auction platform rather than on a first-come basis.
How much capacity was connected in 2026?
2,514 MW between 1 January and 21 August 2026: 1,331 MW photovoltaic, 663 MW storage, 496 MW wind, 20 MW hydrocarbons and 5 MW biogas, according to Transelectrica.
Related analysis
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Romania moved 6.9 TWh in and 6.5 TWh out in five months. Net imports of 1.8% hide the flows.
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