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DRI has put into operation its Văcărești solar park near Bucharest. The firm is the renewables arm of the largest private energy company in Ukraine, DTEK, in the European Union. The facility has 126 MW in peak capacity.
With its latest milestone, DRI’s operational portfolio in Romania climbed to just under 300 MW. The firm, founded in 2021 and based in Amsterdam, develops and operates renewable energy projects in the European Union. It is a subsidiary of DTEK, which entered Romania just three years ago.
According to the update, DRI launched production at its Văcărești solar power plant of 126 MW in peak capacity. The site is in Dâmbovița county, just northwest of the capital Bucharest.
OMV Petrom to offtake 50% of output
Construction was completed in less than a year. Notably, Văcărești will supply half of its output to oil and gas producer OMV Petrom from January 2027, under Romania’s largest-ever physical solar power purchase agreement (PPA). It was signed in December 2024, half a year after DRI took over the project.
DTEK earlier said it would sell the rest of the electricity into the market through its subsidiary D.Trading.
DRI expects the Vacărești solar park to generate enough clean electricity for the needs of 50,000 Romanian households. It is the equivalent of preventing an estimated 48,600 tonnes of carbon emissions each year, it added.
Cinar: Quick expansion reflects DRI’s operational agility
In Romania, DRI also operates solar parks Glodeni 1 and 2, of 113 MW in combined peak capacity, and the 60 MW Ruginoasa wind farm.
“Reaching this level of capacity in such a short time shows our operational agility and commitment to high-quality delivery. By working closely with the national grid operators, local authorities, and reliable contractors, we were able to seamlessly complete the project and to the highest standards. This is a model we replicate across all our markets. In Romania, our priority now is to maximise the value of our operating assets and we will be exploring opportunities to enhance sustainable returns in the coming months ahead. We are ready to adapt as the market continues to evolve,” the company’s Chief Executive Officer Murat Cinar said.
Earlier this year, UniCredit and Garanti BBVA approved a non-recourse financing package of up to EUR 60 million for the construction and operation of the Văcărești solar park.
DRI’s portfolio of solar, onshore wind and battery storage projects in operation, construction and under development amounts to 1.4 GW. It is also activ in Italy, Croatia and Poland.
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