Romania’s largest energy company, OMV Petrom, has signed contracts with the state-owned energy company CE Oltenia for the development of four large-scale solar parks with a total installed capacity of around 550 megawatts. These photovoltaic facilities will be constructed on CE Oltenia’s land in Gorj and Dolj counties and are expected to supply electricity to the national power grid, covering the annual consumption of approximately 410,000 households.
Three of the solar parks — Rovinari, Tismana 1, and Tismana 2 — will be designed and built by a consortium consisting of US-based Ameresco and Greece-based Sunel. These three projects will have a combined capacity of about 460 megawatts. The fourth solar park, with an estimated capacity of 90 megawatts, will be developed by Turkish company Girisim Elektrik on the slag deposit of the former CE Ișalnița power plant.
The total investment for the four solar parks exceeds 400 million euros, with around 70 percent of the funding secured through the European Union’s Modernisation Fund.
Frank Neel, Member of the Executive Board of OMV Petrom in charge of Gas and Power, emphasized the importance of the project, stating: “The signing of these contracts is a firm step in strengthening our position in the renewable power sector.” He noted that OMV Petrom has been involved in power generation since 2012 through the Brazi gas-fired power plant, which contributes around 10 percent of Romania’s electricity supply.
Neel also highlighted the company’s long-term vision, saying that under its Strategy 2030, OMV Petrom aims to play a leading role in Romania’s energy transition. The company has set an ambitious goal of developing 2.5 gigawatts of renewable capacity, including both wind and solar projects, often through partnerships. He concluded by noting that OMV Petrom has already built a robust project portfolio, currently at various stages of development, which will support the future energy system.
