The National Energy Regulatory Authority (ANRE) has approved Transelectrica’s investment plan for the period 2026 – 2035 and requires an acceleration calendar for interconnection projects with Hungary and Bulgaria.

“We approved a plan that is not just a list of investments, but a commitment to prepare the Romanian transmission network for the energy economy of the next decade. The objectives are more renewable production, more storage and fewer system bottlenecks. We paid particular attention to interconnections, where we imposed Transelectrica to accelerate unfinished works. I hope that this measure is interpreted correctly: Romania has exceeded the European target related to the degree of interconnection, but recent lessons show us how important interconnection capacity is to overcome delicate moments for the SEN, such as those in which a higher volume of electricity imports is temporarily needed. Thus, the objective must not only be the EU target but as much of the cross-border capacity as possible”, declared ANRE President George Niculescu, quoted in a press release from the institution.

The 2026-2035 Electricity Transmission Network Development Plan (PDRET) includes 117 investment works, of which 25 are completely new objectives, aimed at modernizing power lines and substations, closing the 400 kV national ring, increasing transmission and interconnection capacity, and digitalizing the network.

According to official data, Romania’s interconnection level reached 18.5% in 2024, above the European target of 15%. On the other hand, the monitoring report for 2025 shows that the targets set for increasing the minimum capacity available for cross-border trade, up to 70% of the capacity of critical network elements, were not fully achieved at the borders with Hungary and Bulgaria.

“As a result, by the decision to approve the PDRET, ANRE imposes on Transelectrica an acceleration program for the unfinished works, common to the Plan and the Action Plan for increasing cross-border capacity. The program must be submitted by Transelectrica within 30 days and will be monitored quarterly by ANRE, including showing the contribution of modern technologies, dynamic line capacity monitoring (DLR) and high-temperature conductors (HTLS), to increasing the capacity available for cross-border trade. The approval of the PDRET marks the transition from national and European strategic objectives to a concrete investment portfolio, the implementation of which will be monitored by ANRE,” the press release states.

The new plan aims to: connect and integrate new production and storage capacities; transport energy from areas rich in renewable resources to consumption areas; reduce grid congestion; flexibility tools for producers, storage and consumers; a safer and more resilient national electricity grid; deeper integration of Romania into the European energy market; greater predictability for investors and industrial consumers.

In practice, the PDRET 2026-2035 translates into concrete projects Romania’s commitments in the European Ten-Year Network Development Plan (TYNDP), projects of common and mutual interest (PCI/PMI), as well as the National Energy Strategy and the Integrated National Plan for Energy and Climate Change (PNIESC).

ANRE specifies that eight of the projects included in the Plan, totaling 25 works, are of common and mutual interest, developed within the framework of ENTSO-E coordinated planning. Among these are the Romania-Hungary interconnection (PCI 2.5) and the CARMEN smart grid project (PCI 12.2), which introduces advanced technologies for monitoring, automation and control of energy flows.