Romania has recorded one of the fastest increases in the number of prosumers at European level. From 303 prosumers in 2019, it reached almost 300,000 at the beginning of 2026. Installed capacity increased from less than 5 MW to approximately 3,400 MW at the end of 2025, and annual generated production reached about 4.5 TWh, representing approximately 9% of Romania’s total electricity production. With average annual growth rates of over 200% in the period 2022–2024, Romania has exceeded the pace of mature markets such as Germany, Spain or Italy, according to a new AFEER study.
The accelerated growth of the number of prosumers in Romania has produced significant changes in the energy market, with direct effects on its functioning and on the activity of suppliers. This evolution undoubtedly contributes to achieving the objectives of the energy transition, but the scale and pace of growth require an adaptation of the regulatory framework, so that it is coherent, fair and sustainable for all participants in the energy system.
The Association of Energy Suppliers of Romania (AFEER) launched on February 16, the “Study on the evolution, regulatory framework and impact of prosumers on the energy system in Romania”, carried out by ASC XLAED BUSINESS HUB SRL. The document analyzes the dynamics of the prosumer segment in Romania, their impact on the energy system and the current regulatory framework, providing examples of good practices and technical and economic recommendations.
“Of course, the increase in electricity prices was the main economic factor in the emergence and spectacular evolution of prosumers. But, according to the study, if we were to relate the additional costs of suppliers to the amount of electricity introduced into the network by prosumers, we would obtain the additional cost of each MWh produced by them between 200 and 372 lei/MWh, a cost that is ultimately borne by consumers”, says Laurențiu Urluescu, President of AFEER.
“The existence of prosumers in the internal energy market has many beneficial effects. Prosumers contribute to the modernization of the energy system by: increasing the share of renewable energy; the potential to participate in balancing services through aggregation and storage; accelerating digitalization and the adoption of new technologies. However, this impressive evolution has significantly disrupted activity in the sector, especially because it overlapped with the effects of the energy crisis and price caps. That is why we requested this study: to better assess what is happening in the market, what is happening with distributed generation, what conclusions are being reached and, above all, what needs to be done in the future”.
The study shows that the current regulatory model generates additional costs for suppliers and network operators, which are transferred, directly or indirectly, to non-prosumer consumers. Estimates indicate an annual impact of tens of millions of euros for the situation in 2024, with a tendency to increase proportional to the number of connected prosumers.
One of the most controversial effects highlighted in the study is the cross-subsidy, whereby the benefits granted to prosumers are supported by other customers in the system. Given that the imbalance exemption applies to installations up to 400 kW – the highest threshold in Europe – Romania is at the upper limit of the exemptions allowed by European legislation. In this respect, ACER’s position is clear: prosumers must contribute adequately to the overall costs of the system (grid, system, imbalances), and exemptions should be limited to truly small installations.
Romania’s distribution networks, originally designed for a unidirectional flow of energy, are now facing significant pressures generated by the rapid expansion of distributed generation. This transformation has fundamentally changed the way the network operates, introducing bidirectional flows and unprecedented technical challenges.
In this context, it becomes essential to adopt dedicated regulations that integrate all the elements that govern the activity of prosumers, in full alignment with the EU Renewable Energy Directive (RED III).
“The rapid integration of a growing number of prosumers fundamentally changes the way the national energy system operates. In order for this transformation to remain sustainable in the long term, a unitary regulation is necessary, which correlates the decarbonization objectives with the stability of the energy system and the electricity market,” concluded the president of AFEER.