Aukera Energy, a pan-European renewable energy and battery energy storage platform backed by AtlasInvest, Reggeborgh and SFPIM (Belgium’s sovereign wealth fund), announces the commissioning of the first phase of its Gura Ialomiței battery energy storage (BESS) project – 150 MW / 300 MWh.

This milestone marks the first BESS project built by Aukera in Romania and a significant step in the realization of the 250 MW / 500 MWh Gura Ialomiței project.

It also represents one of the fastest project deliveries on the Romanian market, reaching commissioning within 12 months of obtaining “ready-to-build” status.

Phase two, representing another 100 MW / 200 MWh, will soon enter construction and is expected to be completed by the end of 2026.

Gura Ialomiței is the first project in a substantially larger Romanian portfolio. Aukera plans to start construction for a cumulative capacity of 800 MW / 1600MWh in storage facilities in the next six to nine months, consolidating its position as the leading developer and operator of battery storage infrastructure in the country.

Phase I of the project is supported by the National Recovery and Resilience Plan of Romania (NRRP), representing the largest project financed under this program to date, and benefits from private financing.

Phase two is currently in the process of signing the financing contract, with construction set to begin soon.

Romania’s Growing Role as a European Flexibility Market Romania is going through one of the most significant periods of investment in energy infrastructure in its recent history. As renewable energy generation capacity expands rapidly, the need for large-scale flexibility, especially battery storage, has become a national priority, with strong support from the government, the transmission and system operator, and a growing base of international lenders and investors.

While many projects remain in the early stages of development, the key differentiators in this market are access to capital and deep storage expertise to deliver complex infrastructure at a rapid pace.

Aukera brings both and sees Romania as one of the core markets in its pan-European portfolio.

The commissioning event marks the progress and standards of delivery. To mark this commissioning milestone, Aukera organized a working visit to the Gura Ialomitei storage facility site, with key participants including H.E. John Cornet d’Elzius, Ambassador of Belgium to Romania, Mihai Tănăsescu, Prefect of Ialomița County, and representatives of Electrogrup S.A., the EPC contractor of the project.

“As a Romanian and co-founder of a platform that now delivers battery storage infrastructure in five European markets, it is particularly important for me to see Aukera’s first operational battery project come to life here in Romania.

Romania has an exceptional renewable energy potential, and the next stage of this evolution will depend on how the storage infrastructure evolves alongside this growth. Gura Ialomiței is one of the largest battery storage facilities in Romania and is just the beginning of our commitment to this market. We have a substantial portfolio ahead of us, as well as the capital, team and partners needed to make it happen,” said Cătălin Breabăn, co-founder of Aukera.

“Bringing the Gura Ialomiței BESS project from the ready-to-build stage to commissioning in 12 months required close coordination between our team, our EPC partner and our local partners. We have demonstrated what is possible when you combine technical expertise with disciplined project execution. We are proud to see the first phase operational and look forward to advancing the second phase, as well as the broader Romanian portfolio towards construction,” added Radu Enache, Country Manager Romania at Aukera.