Distribuție Energie Electrică Romania has scheduled in 2026 the largest investment program in the company’s history, worth RON 1.48 billion, after investments of RON 878 million made in 2025. The decision is a new signal that the distribution network is becoming one of the key execution areas of Romania’s energy transition, with a direct impact on the integration of renewables, prosumers, electrification and quality of service.
Without modernized, automated networks capable of managing increasingly complex energy flows, new projects in generation, flexible consumption, storage or industrial electrification will continue to face bottlenecks. Mihaela Suciu, CEO of DEER, says the company has set out for 2026 “the most ambitious investment program in the company’s history,” supported by own funds, attracted financing and non-reimbursable European funds. “We are investing to provide users with a safer, higher-performing network, prepared for the challenges of the energy transition.”
For companies active in energy infrastructure, the program opens a more substantial market for specialized works and services. DEER’s priorities for 2026 include the construction of a new electrical substation in Cluj County, the modernization of substations and networks in Buzău, Galați, Târgoviște, Oradea and Sibiu, the replacement of more than 600 transformers in areas with high prosumer density, the implementation of 1.1 million smart meters, the development of a Virtual Power Plant platform, network automation and the digitalization of operational processes, including through predictive maintenance and advanced cybersecurity solutions.
Investments are reflected in performance indicators
DEER has steadily increased its investment pace over the past four years: RON 558 million in 2022, RON 777 million in 2023, RON 810 million in 2024 and RON 878 million in 2025. Following the recovery period provided by ANRE’s methodology, the commissioning program related to 2025 reached RON 924 million, by including works completed and reported by June 30, 2026.
This evolution is relevant for the market because it indicates both greater execution capacity within the distribution operator and broader demand for specialized suppliers. According to the company, investments made in recent years are already reflected in the performance indicators published by ANRE. In the South Transylvania area, the average frequency of unplanned interruptions in rural areas decreased from 2.62 interruptions per year in 2021 to 1.89 interruptions per year in 2024. In North Transylvania, the average duration of unplanned interruptions in rural areas fell from 217.86 minutes per year to 126.44 minutes per year, while the company points to the best results at national level for the duration of accidental interruptions in the urban network in this area, at 36.42 minutes per year in 2024.
The financing base gives the program broader strategic relevance. Electrica Group benefits from a EUR 200 million loan from the European Investment Bank, a EUR 500 million green bond issue and a RON 3.1 billion syndicated loan, and will analyze a new bond issue in 2026–2027. In parallel, DEER has attracted more than RON 2.1 billion from the Modernisation Fund, with the total value of the projects approaching RON 3.2 billion.