OMV Petrom moves ahead with Bulgaria solar‑battery project and secures Black Sea gas pre‑emption

Romanian oil and gas company OMV Petrom announced a final investment decision for the Gabare hybrid project in Bulgaria. The development will combine a 415 MWp photovoltaic plant with a 600 MWh battery energy storage system, representing an investment of about €300 million. Construction is set to begin soon and the plant is targeted to start production in 2028. “Our first battery storage project marks an important step in the development of a modern energy portfolio, where renewables and flexibility solutions complement each other,” said Franck Neel, member of the OMV Petrom executive board.

Separately, the Romanian government exercised its pre‑emptive right to acquire up to 5 billion cubic metres of gas from OMV Petrom’s Neptun Deep offshore project in the Black Sea, covering 700 million cubic metres per year from 2028 onward. The move blocks a potential purchase by Hungary’s MVM and secures Romanian access to gas from the €4 billion field, which is expected to begin deliveries in 2027.