The state-owned company Electrocentrale Bucureşti S.A. (ELCEN), the largest producer of thermal and electrical energy in the Capital, launches the procurement procedure for the “Implementation of a high-efficiency cogeneration unit in CTE Grozăveşti”, within the program to modernize the Capital’s energy infrastructure. The investment value is approximately 600 million lei, being provided through the Modernization Fund, which provides non-reimbursable financing, according to News.ro.
The investment is part of ELCEN’s strategy to develop modern, efficient capacities with reduced environmental impact, intended to contribute to increasing the security of Bucharest’s thermal energy supply and to strengthening the National Energy System, the company informs.
This is the third major investment procedure launched by ELCEN within the modernization program of the Bucharest South, Progresu and Grozăveşti power plants, with a cumulative value of over 3.5 billion lei.
The project aims to build a new high-efficiency cogeneration unit, with an installed capacity of 32.5 MWe and 41 MWt, based on modern gas turbine and recuperator boiler technology, capable of ensuring the simultaneous production of electricity and heat in conditions of high efficiency and reduced environmental impact.
“The estimated value of the investment is approximately 600 million lei, with the project benefiting from non-reimbursable financing through the Modernization Fund, based on the financing contract signed in November 2024. The new capacity will operate on natural gas and will be `hydrogen ready`, which means that it will be able to use, as technologies and the energy market develop, gas mixtures containing hydrogen, thus contributing to the decarbonization objectives assumed at European and national level,” the state-owned company announces.
The implementation of the project will generate important benefits for both consumers and the energy system, such as reducing greenhouse gas emissions, reducing primary energy consumption, increasing energy efficiency by achieving an overall efficiency of 81.05%, as well as reducing production costs and increasing the competitiveness of the energy production activity.
The new unit will have a total thermal power of approximately 92 MWt, ensuring the thermal energy needed by consumers connected to the centralized thermal energy supply system of the Municipality of Bucharest, in accordance with the objectives set out in the Thermal Energy Supply Strategy of the Capital.
The project also complies with the strictest environmental requirements applicable to energy installations. Modern continuous emission monitoring systems will allow permanent control of the main pollution indicators and compliance with European standards regarding the best available techniques (BAT).
At this time, the non-reimbursable financing contract through the Modernization Fund, the contract for Owner’s Engineer technical consultancy services, as well as the consultancy contract for accessing reimbursable financing have been signed.
The documentation necessary to launch the EPC procurement procedure has also been finalized, the thermal energy producer announces.