We are in Cluj, home to the new headquarters of DEER (Distribuție Energie Electrică România). Built from the ground up at a cost of 2.5 million euros, the facility features solar panels and, most importantly, new online SCADA systems—with the video display panels alone costing 500,000 euros. A massive wall, covered in a printed graphic measuring approximately 15 by 2 meters, illustrates how substations were managed in the past. In contrast, the video walls lining the rest of the 50-square-meter room clearly highlight Romania’s advantage in digitalization: while starting from a lower baseline, the country is now adopting the highest standards—supported by European funding. DEER officials note that integrating these various systems was a complex task, further complicated by a wave of retirements and the need to train a new generation of employees. Ultimately, however, this first modernized SCADA center—covering high and medium voltage—has proven successful. More such modernizations are set to follow, especially now that the majority shareholder—the Romanian state—has recognized the urgent need for rapid modernization. Yet, for DEER’s leadership, this was not the greatest challenge. The real hurdle lay in fundamentally shifting the mindset of teams accustomed to the traditional state-sector work culture, and in establishing SCADA digitalization and grid modernization as core objectives—tasks that new team members are now expected to complete with a strong sense of pride in a job well done. “I am in the first month of my new term, which, in my view, will be more challenging than the first. During my initial four-year term, I encountered a company in the early stages of transformation; the merger of three distinct regional energy distribution teams resulted in a single entity comprising three different mindsets and sets of customs. While procedures were standardized, unifying operations and forging a cohesive team was an ongoing struggle. Today, I can say that we have a mature, well-established team that is delivering results. Over the next four years, the challenge lies not in achieving results, but in scaling up investments and consolidating DEER’s position as the country’s largest distribution operator. It is about strengthening performance and embracing our role as a pillar of the Romanian economy—one that will not only continue its modernization efforts but also serve as a future engine for the national economy,” stated Rodica Suciu, General Manager of DEER, during a press conference in Cluj held on the sidelines of the fourth edition of the Cybersecurity in Energy Forum.
“You cannot achieve performance without discipline; any endeavor must be built upon a foundation of discipline and respect,” she added.
This year, DEER’s capital expenditure (CAPEX) will reach 1.4 billion lei, with 450 million lei sourced from European funds. DEER has recently signed a contract for the procurement of 1.1 million smart meters, and contracts for an additional 1 million-plus meters are set to be finalized this week. DEER’s investments for the fifth regulatory period (2025–2029) amount to 5.7 billion lei, of which 2.2 billion lei comes from non-repayable European funds.
However, DEER officials state that the majority shareholder—the Romanian state—has recognized the need for these investments, which are set to increase.
More details can be found in the Q4 issue of Energynomics magazine.
