Delgaz Grid, the distribution company of the E.ON group in Romania, last year made investments of over 1.2 billion lei (about 241 million euros) in natural gas and electricity distribution networks, and for the current year it has planned a record amount of 1.4 billion lei (282 million euros), 17% more than in 2025.
Supported by its own sources and attracted European funds, the investments made in 2025 were over 165% higher than the average annual value from 2010-2019 (when they were around 90 million euros/year).
Investments of over 538 million lei (107 million euros) were recorded in the distribution of natural gas, with 448 km of gas pipelines and connections being modernized. The distribution network was expanded by 253 km, with 31,000 new consumers being connected. At the same time, in partnership with local authorities, natural gas distributions were established in 7 localities in Sibiu, Timiș and Bacău counties, over a length totaling 84 kilometers.
Six natural gas regulation-measuring stations were modernized – in Bacău, Caraș-Severin, Hunedoara and Iași counties –, which led to the improvement of the quality of the distribution service for consumers in the served areas.
Also last year, Delgaz Grid launched three pilot projects in the field of green gases for the first time: BioMethaneMix (aimed at obtaining biomethane and injecting it into distribution networks/utilization facilities), BlendUp30 (testing the functioning of the equipment of the natural gas distribution network and existing utilization devices with mixtures of hydrogen in natural gas of 23% and 30v%) and HyGrid100 (using 100% hydrogen on a section of the natural gas network and new utilization devices).
In the electricity segment, the value of investments was 674 million lei (134 million euros), the distribution network being modernized over a length of 1,405 km and extended by 720 km. About 36,500 new users were connected, of which 22,000 consumers and 14,500 prosumers.
Last year, the ADMS (Advanced Distribution Management System) project was completed with an investment of 84 million lei, of which 61 million lei was European funding. ADMS integrates into a single digital platform the functionalities necessary for the operational control, programming and operational planning processes of high, medium and low voltage electrical distribution networks, up to the consumer level.
Smart metering: At the end of 2025, 586,000 SMART meters were already installed (about 80,000 installed last year), of which 525,000 are also integrated into the smart metering system (SMI). The MDM/MDC (Measurement Data Management/Data Collection Management) digital platform, with an integration capacity of 1,600,000 meters, provides support for SMI.
Currently, 124 transformer stations out of the 130 operated by Delgaz Grid are integrated in SCADA (Supervisory Data Acquisition and Control), as well as 688 automated transformer stations in urban areas (70 of them in 2025). Also, over 2,031 remote-controlled equipment integrated in SCADA (disconnectors and reclosers) are installed in medium-voltage overhead networks, of which 121 last year.
As a result of the investments carried out year after year, Delgaz Grid is positioned as one of the most performing distribution operators, by significantly improving the main indicators of the distribution service. In the last 10 years, SAIDI (indicator of the duration of interruptions) has decreased more than six times, reaching 66.7 minutes in 2025 from 438.83 minutes in 2015, and SAIFI (indicator of the number of interruptions) has decreased about eight times, reaching 0.72 last year, from 5.89 in 2015.
Delgaz Grid also ranked first among distribution operators in Romania, with the shortest duration of interruptions in electricity supply, according to ANRE reports.
Investments in 2026
For the current year, the Delgaz Grid company has set itself the goal of investing, from its own sources and EU funds, a record amount of 1.42 billion lei (282 million euros), 17% more than in 2025.
Natural gas – investments of over 544 million lei (108 million euros) are planned. Natural gas pipelines and connections will be modernized over a length of 627 km. At the same time, to improve the quality of service, 15 regulation and metering stations will be modernized. The development of the natural gas distribution system and the connection of new consumers is another priority, with funds provided for this year to expand the network by over 223 km.
Electricity – investments of 877 million lei (174 million euros) are planned, 26% more than the previous year. The investments aim to continue the automation and digitalization of the distribution system, SMART metering, modernization of overhead networks, transformer stations and substations, expansion of the distribution network to connect new consumers, increasing the capacity of the networks to take over energy produced from renewable sources.
Projects with European funds – at this moment, 15 projects are underway, worth a total of 436 million euros, of which 325 million euros are European funding.
The projects aim at SMART metering, modernization of transformer stations, construction of new stations, modernization of networks on all voltage levels.
One of the most important projects, launched at the beginning of the year, is the one to supply electricity to the future Regional Emergency Hospital (SRU) Iași, a medical unit that will serve the inhabitants of the North-East Region of Romania. The investment value is approximately 145 million lei (29 million euros), of which non-reimbursable European funding of approximately 120 million lei (24 million euros).
Another major distribution network development project, for which the signing of the financing contract is expected in mid-year, is the CARMEN project, carried out in partnership with Transelectrica and ESO (transmission operator) Bulgaria. The total value is 210 million euros, of which 104 million euros is European funding. The Delgaz Grid component is 79 million euros, of which approximately 40 million euros is a grant.
Smart metering – the installation of approximately 120,000 SMART meters is planned, with a target of 85% smart metering coverage by 2030.
The company is making every effort to reduce as much as possible the discomfort generated by the investment works, which ultimately aim to improve the natural gas and electricity distribution service for consumers, as well as increase their safety.
