Romania imported electricity for 21 of 24 hours on 3 November, despite renewables supplying around two-thirds of generation. Nuclear outages and high evening demand kept imports necessary, while reactor restart prospects and future grid access will affect supply and project economics.
Nuclearelectrica started procedures to restart Unit 1 on 4 November, with grid resynchronisation scheduled for 6 November. Unit 2’s restart depends on a sustained rise in the Danube, leaving nuclear availability linked to hydrological conditions even after Unit 1 returns.
Wind averaged about 2.7 GW in Romania on 3 November, accounting for 42.3% of electricity production, while hydropower averaged 1.375 GW. The renewable share did not remove import dependence in the absence of nuclear output and amid high evening demand.
Separately, Transelectrica published 1,566 MW of grid connection capacity for competitive allocation. The capacity is concentrated between 2032 and 2037 and depends on additional network works.
Published opening prices range from about €136,000 to €719,000 per MW, and winning bids could be higher. Romania’s competitive allocation of connection rights makes grid access a separate asset for new generation projects.
For renewable and storage developers, connection timing and cost can shape project economics alongside land, resource quality, equipment costs and power purchase agreement economics. Projects with secured connection rights may gain strategic value, while greenfield projects without firm network access face a higher risk premium.
The immediate power-price outlook depends on reactor returns and hydrological conditions. Over the longer term, the availability and cost of grid connections will determine how quickly new renewable and storage projects can improve Romania’s electricity supply balance.
