Romania reduced its physical electricity import deficit in the first half of 2026 as domestic generation increased and exports strengthened. Transmission-system data show physical exports rose 52% year on year to 4.98 TWh, while imports were broadly unchanged at around 5.77 TWh. The resulting physical net-import position fell to around 0.79 TWh, compared with about 2.47 TWh in the same period of 2025.
Domestic net generation increased by approximately 7%, while electricity consumption was broadly flat. Exports strengthened particularly towards Hungary, Ukraine and Moldova. The H1 figures indicate a gradual shift in Romania’s regional market position.
Switching between net imports and exports
Romania continues to alternate between net importing and exporting depending on nuclear availability, hydrology and renewable output. During periods of domestic surplus, the generation fleet is positioned to supply neighbouring markets more effectively. Storage is described as an increasingly relevant element of that development.
By 1 July, Romania had around 924 MW of installed battery power and approximately 1,762.5 MWh of storage capacity. Several larger BESS projects remain under construction or in development.
BESS role amid intra-day price swings
The expansion is linked to rising intra-day volatility in Romanian wholesale prices. Strong solar production can push daytime prices sharply lower, while evening prices increase as photovoltaic output declines. Recent sessions have seen midday prices near or below €100/MWh, followed by evening values above €250/MWh.
Battery storage enables operators to shift part of the midday surplus into higher-value hours. This can reduce import demand during evening peaks while limiting the need to export solar-heavy generation at depressed prices.
Import exposure remains tied to nuclear and hydro availability
The H1 balance does not indicate that Romania has eliminated exposure to imports. The summer disruption at Cernavodă and unusually low Danube levels showed how quickly the system can become short when nuclear and hydro availability deteriorate together.
At the same time, flexibility is improving as more wind and solar capacity is connected and storage expands. Romania also has access to several neighbouring markets through Hungary, Bulgaria, Serbia, Ukraine and Moldova.
Transmission constraints for new generation and storage
The key constraint highlighted is transmission capacity. If renewable and battery additions continue to outpace network development, congestion could restrict the ability of new assets to reach higher-priced domestic or cross-border markets.
For traders, grid location and cross-border capacity are increasingly important variables alongside generation costs. Romania’s H1 data also point to a move away from a structurally import-dependent profile toward a more flexible regional system that can switch between imports and exports based on hourly price signals, generation availability and cross-border constraints.
