With three weeks remaining before the funding call for stand-alone battery energy storage facilities closes, 12 submitted projects are seeking grants totalling 1.71 billion lei, more than twice the available budget of 150 million euros. Interested companies can still submit applications until 30 October 2026, at 14:00, under the programme financed by the Modernisation Fund.

Launched by the Ministry of Energy on 14 August, the funding call supports the development of new battery storage facilities connected directly to the transmission or distribution grids. Unlike storage systems integrated with photovoltaic plants or industrial self-consumption installations, stand-alone batteries operate independently, drawing electricity from the public grid and feeding it back according to market conditions and the needs of the power system. Selection is competitive, with the main ranking criterion being the amount of state aid requested per MWh of installed storage capacity. Projects requesting less support per MWh receive higher scores.

According to data available on 8 October 2026 through the public MySMIS2021 platform, the 12 submitted projects represent approximately two billion lei in eligible expenditure. The platform also listed 94 draft project applications, representing applications that had been initiated but not formally submitted. Their number indicates additional interest in the programme but does not provide a reliable basis for estimating how many applications will ultimately be submitted before the deadline.

Maximum 69,000 euros/MWh and 15 million euros per undertaking

Under the funding guidelines approved by Ministry of Energy Order No. 915/2026, grants may cover up to 100% of eligible expenditure but are capped at 69,000 euros/MWh and 15 million euros per undertaking, regardless of the number of projects submitted.

The ceiling of 69,000 euros/MWh does not, however, represent the amount that every developer will receive. Under the selection procedure, the project requesting the lowest amount of aid per MWh receives 100 points, while the project requesting the highest amount receives zero points. Scores for intermediate values are calculated through linear interpolation. Projects are then ranked in descending order of their scores, subject to the available budget.

The mechanism requires developers to balance two objectives: reducing the amount of public funding requested to make their applications more competitive, while securing sufficient financial resources to deliver the investment. The difference between the grant and the total project cost must be covered through the developer’s own resources or external financing, without using other state aid for the same eligible expenditure.

Microenterprises, SMEs and large companies, including newly established businesses, may apply, subject to the conditions set out in the guidelines. Applicants must include activities corresponding to CAEN Division 35 in their articles of association, while newly established companies must have subscribed and paid-up share capital of at least 100,000 lei. Applications must be submitted individually, without partnerships.

Minimum 1 MW and two hours of storage

To qualify for funding, facilities must have a minimum power rating of 1 MW and a ratio of storage capacity (MWh) to installed power (MW) of at least 2:1, corresponding to a minimum charging or discharging duration of two hours at rated power.

The systems must have their own grid connection and dedicated metering, without being integrated with an electricity generation or consumption site. Projects combining renewable electricity generation and storage are not eligible, nor are investments intended to replace existing batteries.

One relevant condition for developers at different stages of project preparation concerns grid connection. The technical grid connection approval (ATR) is not mandatory when submitting the funding application or during the contracting stage, but it must be provided by the time the first payment request is submitted, failing which the funding agreement will be terminated. The funding application must include a feasibility study and the technical and financial documentation required under the guidelines.

Selected investments must be completed and commissioned within 48 months of the date on which state aid is granted. The programme aims to deliver at least 2,174 MWh of total storage capacity through the funded projects, a target that does not represent capacity already contracted or installed.

Funding applications must be submitted electronically through the MySMIS2021 platform, in accordance with the official announcement issued by the Ministry of Energy. The outcome of the selection procedure will reveal both developers’ interest in public funding and the level of support per MWh that successful projects are prepared to request.