The Romanian Wind Energy Association (RWEA) and the Romanian Photovoltaic Industry Association (RPIA) warn that the proposed changes to the Connection Regulation may generate increases in energy prices and economic effects in the chain, such as the reduction of the number of jobs in the sector and the decrease in revenues to local budgets, amid the slowdown in investments in new production capacities, according to a press release.
In recent years, as a result of the accelerated development of investments in the energy sector, the number of technical connection approvals (ATR) issued has increased considerably. At the same time, since 2022, over 5.5 GW of photovoltaic and wind capacities have been put into operation, covering between 40% and 50% of electricity production during the day. However, there is still a significant number of ATRs that will not materialize and that cause a “scriptive” load on the network.
The need for a filtering mechanism that discourages speculative projects is real and recognized even by the industry, which proposed, since 2019, the introduction of measures such as guarantees for the issuance of the ATR – a measure implemented only in 2024. The industry is the one that also proposed the automatic termination of the validity of the connection permit if the project does not obtain the necessary authorizations within a predetermined period, an idea later taken up by ANRE. In its current form, however, out of the desire to discourage speculative projects, the regulatory draft imposes such restrictive conditions that it affects even investments with real chances of implementation.
We recall that, in practice, the development of projects is frequently affected by delays in the approval processes, due to institutional constraints or limited administrative capacity. A relevant example is obtaining the opinion from the Romanian Civil Aeronautical Authority for wind turbines, where, for the submission of the application only, the available deadlines start from June 2027. In this context, the RPIA and RWEA associations emphasize that the changes must not ignore the proposals formulated by the investment environment.
“We call for the adoption of a coherent and balanced regulation, which would truly filter speculative projects, reflect the realities on the ground, support investments and contribute to accelerating the energy transition. It is essential that Romania maintains a predictable and competitive framework”, declared the representatives of RWEA and RPIA.
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The solutions proposed by the professional associations are in the spirit of the ANRE approach, but aim to establish realistic deadlines, of 24 or 36 months, in order to avoid blocking viable projects.
“An approach in which all investors are treated as potential speculators is not justified. Renewable energy is the only sector that has delivered and continues to deliver new capacities at scale in recent years. Imposing disproportionate conditions risks blocking exactly the projects that can be implemented,” continued the representatives of RPIA and RWEA.
According to industry estimates, in the approval phase alone, over 700 million euros have been invested to date in the development of energy projects, which generate horizontal economic effects, supporting extended value chains – from consultancy, engineering and specialist studies to local suppliers and producers and related activities, which contributes to Romania’s economic competitiveness. Moreover, currently, the sector employs over 70,000 full-time employees, and in order to achieve the targets assumed by the National Integrated Energy and Climate Change Plan – over 10 GW in photovoltaic energy and 7 GW in wind energy – their number will exceed 100,000 by 2030.
The associations warn of the risk of a recurrence of a blockage in the energy production sector, in the context of the proposed amendments to the Electricity Grid Connection Regulation. A similar precedent was recorded after 2013, when the energy sector went through a period of stagnation of almost a decade. The effects were significant, and regaining Romania’s investment attractiveness required years and sustained effort. Also, a blockage in development means fewer jobs, lower revenues for local budgets and increased pressure on energy prices. Renewable capacities, the most competitive in terms of price, are essential for stabilizing costs, as the examples from Spain and Portugal show. In the current context, marked by economic and geopolitical pressures, as well as ambitious decarbonization objectives, maintaining the predictability of the regulatory framework is essential, given that every MW installed counts.
