Romania allocates €250 million for smart meters and energy‑storage projects
The Romanian Government, led by Prime Minister and interim Energy Minister Ilie Bolojan, has signed two orders to launch EU‑funded schemes worth a total of €250 million from the EU Modernisation Fund. €100 million is earmarked for a non‑competitive call that will fund the installation of more than 800,000 smart electricity meters. The four concessionary distribution operators – Distribuție Energie Electrică România, Delgaz Grid, Rețele Electrice România and Distribuție Oltenia – can each receive up to €25 million.
A second, competitive call allocates €150 million for stand‑alone battery‑storage parks with a minimum aggregate capacity of 2,174 MWh. The auction will limit bids to €69,000 per MWh and a maximum of €15 million per company. The smart‑meter call opens on 3 August 2026 and closes on 2 December 2026; the storage call opens on 1 September 2026 and closes on 30 October 2026. Project completion is targeted for 31 December 2029 for meters and 31 December 2030 for storage. The programmes aim to lower household electricity bills, reduce network losses and fraud, and stabilise the grid.