Drought is reducing hydroelectric output and constraining nuclear generation across the Balkans, increasing exposure to electricity imports. The pressure highlights the role of diversified generation, storage and interconnection.
Bosnia and Herzegovina’s transmission operator will use the approved financing to install four variable shunt reactors at selected substations. The equipment is intended to improve voltage control as renewable generation adds more variable power flows to the grid.
By late 2026, Southeast Europe’s battery-storage markets had diverged in operating scale, financing precedents, policy support and grid access. Bulgaria led on capacity, while other markets offered different combinations of bankability, growth potential and risk.
Your trusted source for electricity market news, trading data and energy market analysis across Southeast Europe.
In 2024, several key trends emerged in European energy markets:
Electricity prices: Yearly average electricity prices in major European markets were the lowest since 2021,...
Southeast European electricity prices could ease in Q4 2026 and Q1 2027 if nuclear capacity returns and hydro inflows improve. Gas costs and transmission constraints are expected to sustain premiums during tight periods.
Cernavodă Unit 1 is scheduled to resynchronise on 6 November after more than three months offline. Its availability, alongside other reactor restarts and outages, will shape winter import needs and power prices across Southeast Europe.
Drought is reducing hydroelectric output and constraining nuclear generation across the Balkans, increasing exposure to electricity imports. The pressure highlights the role of diversified generation, storage and interconnection.
Western Balkan electricity trade with the European Union recovered from the second quarter but remained below year-earlier levels. Wider price spreads, weaker convergence and CBAM costs are complicating cross-border sales.
Romania imported electricity for 21 of 24 hours on 3 November despite renewables supplying around two-thirds of generation. Reactor restart prospects and the cost and timing of grid connections will shape supply and new project economics.