Romania has a substantial renewable-energy project pipeline, yet the number of projects with permits and connection arrangements falls sharply as administrative filters are applied. Data from the National Energy Regulatory Authority (ANRE) shows why capacity announced on paper must be separated from projects that are closer to construction and operation.
The project pipeline is large, but its stages matter
On 1 September, ANRE reported 1,643 renewable-energy projects with approved evacuation capacities of at least 1 MW and technical connection approvals (ATR) still valid. Together, they represented 114,966 MW, compared with about 20,000 MW of Romania’s currently installed capacity across all energy sources. The figure is a measure of projects that have passed an initial grid-connection stage, not a statement that all the capacity will be built. Once further requirements are applied, the pipeline becomes smaller: 736 projects had concluded connection contracts and held construction permits, totalling 39,281 MW.
Permits provide a clearer procurement signal
The most advanced category in the ANRE data contains 252 projects with connection contracts, construction permits and establishment permits issued by ANRE. Their combined capacity was 15,362 MW. For public bodies considering renewable-energy supply, the distinction is transferable: a valid technical connection approval indicates a route towards the grid, while a connection contract and construction permit show that the project has moved further through delivery requirements. An establishment permit adds another regulatory milestone, but the source does not present these figures as proof that the projects are already operating. The stages should therefore be read as a project pipeline rather than installed generation.
Storage is becoming part of the delivery challenge
Among the 736 projects with connection contracts and construction permits, network operators reported 212 projects with electricity-storage equipment or individual storage installations. These projects had a combined maximum approved evacuation capacity of 13,936 MW. Of that group, 44 projects, representing 3,334 MW, were reported as due to enter service in 2026. The data highlights why renewable procurement cannot be assessed only by nominal generation capacity. Doina Vornicu, an energy specialist, said the system must integrate the grid, storage, flexibility and consumption, adding that a battery does not replace the network and the network does not replace a battery.
Grid planning will shape the value of new capacity
Vornicu said the grid should be planned before congestion rather than after it, with the next 10-15 years of consumption considered in network investment. She also expects demand to rise through the electrification of transport and heating. That demand could provide flexibility if consumption moves in response to electricity prices. The source describes industry and household consumers, including a growing number of prosumers, as increasingly active participants in the system rather than passive users. For public buyers, this points to a broader assessment of renewable proposals: connection readiness, storage, expected demand and network capability all affect whether capacity can deliver useful energy when it is needed.
| Label | Value |
|---|---|
| Projects with valid ATRs | 1,643 |
| Capacity in projects with valid ATRs | 114,966 MW |
| Romania’s installed capacity | About 20,000 MW |
| Projects with connection contracts and construction permits | 736 |
| Capacity in those projects | 39,281 MW |
| Projects with connection, construction and establishment permits | 252 |
| Capacity in the most advanced category | 15,362 MW |
| Storage projects reported for operation in 2026 | 44, totalling 3,334 MW |
A battery does not replace the grid, and the grid does not replace the battery; we need both. — Doina Vornicu
WHY IT MATTERS
Renewable capacity moves through distinct administrative stages. A valid technical connection approval is not equivalent to a concluded connection contract, while construction and ANRE establishment permits provide further evidence of project readiness. Public buyers and bidders can use these distinctions when assessing whether a proposed source represents an early-stage pipeline, a permitted project or capacity closer to delivery.
Reported from zf.ro, 2026-11-03. The Tender Wire is published by Otnox.
