Romania’s energy debate is often framed in national terms: local prices, local regulations, local responsibilities. Yet, in the view of Ondrej Šafář, Country Manager of EVRYO România, this framing misses the point. The challenges facing the Romanian energy system are neither isolated nor exceptional. They are structural, regional, and deeply linked to the way energy markets in Central and South-Eastern Europe have been shaped over the past two decades.
“It’s not about Romania, it’s about the region”, Šafář explained in a conversation with Gabriel Avăcăriței at Energynomics’ WATTs Next podcast. Electricity markets across Romania, Bulgaria, Greece and the Western Balkans are interconnected, exposed to the same investment gaps and the same systemic constraints. Price differences, often cited in public debate, are less the result of national policy failures and more the consequence of long-term choices made — or postponed — across the region.
At the heart of the problem lies a pattern that Šafář returns to repeatedly: the preference for short-term consumer protection over long-term system building. For years, political and regulatory decisions focused on keeping prices artificially low, even when that meant delaying or scaling back investment. The logic was understandable, but the consequences are now becoming visible. As he puts it, “the cheapest highway is the highway which is never built”. Without infrastructure, however, there is no long-term benefit — no growth, no resilience, and no capacity to adapt.
This analogy captures the dilemma facing Romania’s energy sector today. Grids designed for a centralized, predictable system are being asked to accommodate distributed generation, prosumers, electric vehicles and new consumption patterns. These changes are not theoretical; they are already reshaping the system. Yet infrastructure has lagged behind, precisely because investment was treated as a cost to be avoided rather than as a prerequisite for future stability.
Šafář argues that this is where Romania still has a strategic opportunity. Unlike countries that invested heavily decades ago and must now rebuild at high cost, Romania can align its grid development directly with the needs of a decarbonized, digitalized energy system. But this window will not remain open indefinitely. It requires a shift in mindset — away from year-to-year thinking and toward strategic planning that accepts near-term costs for long-term gains.
That shift is also institutional. Regulators, policymakers and operators must align around a shared horizon, rather than reacting to immediate price pressures. Šafář is explicit on this point: the real risk is not technological, but mental. The danger lies in repeating the same logic that led to today’s bottlenecks. What is needed instead is the courage “not to look at one year ahead but to look at 5 years, 10 years ahead.”
From this perspective, debates about tariffs, grid fees or temporary price caps are secondary. They matter, but only insofar as they support a coherent investment path. Without predictable rules and a credible commitment to infrastructure development, no amount of short-term protection can deliver lower costs in the long run. On the contrary, it risks locking the system into fragility.
Šafář’s message is therefore not one of alarm, but of clarity. Romania’s energy market is not failing; it is paying the price of postponed decisions. The correction will not come from further delay, but from acknowledging that affordability, security and decarbonization all depend on the same foundation: sustained investment guided by long-term thinking.
About “WATTs Next”
“WATTs Next” is the new podcast by Energynomics dedicated to energy leaders, designed to provide a clear understanding of the people shaping the industry, their visions for the future and emerging challenges. Its main goal is to go beyond standardized answers and delve into the personal and professional perspectives of the interlocutor.
The interviews are structured in three essential directions:
- Shaping a personal and professional profile, providing an authentic picture of the career path and values of the interviewed leader.
- Analysis of the most current topics, to understand what’s next in the industry, what the implications are for companies and consumers, and what we should prepare for.
- Explanation of some essential concepts, by debunking myths and clarifying complex notions for a wider audience.