PPC Energie rolls out Romania’s first zero-cost electricity scheme

Romanian power supplier PPC Energie has launched a pilot project offering free electricity during certain hours of the day to households with smart meters. The first zero-cost electricity scheme in Romania aims to increase the consumption of energy produced by solar power plants and promote digital energy infrastructure, according to the company’s press release.

The first 5,000 eligible consumers who apply by May 20 will participate in the program, running from June through September. A customer will be able to benefit from about 70 hours of free active electricity in each of the four months, said PPC Energie, part of Greece’s state-controlled Public Power Corp. (PPC).

“The Zero Active Electricity pilot program aims to convey to PPC Energie customers the benefits of photovoltaic energy production and the digitalization of energy infrastructure. The savings made by customers will be greater, as they will be able to use more electricity during zero-cost hours,” said PPC Energie General Manager Ionuț Dună.

Customers will be able to reduce their electricity bills by scheduling the operation of household appliances or by charging their electric cars during the zero-cost time slots. The reduction will be applied to the monthly bill as a commercial bonus, according to PPC Energie, the second largest electricity supplier in Romania.

Customers can schedule the use of home appliances or charge electric cars during zero-cost slots

Eligible to apply for the program are consumers with a smart electricity meter integrated into the smart metering system. The time intervals in which they can use electricity at zero cost per kilowatt-hour will be communicated to them at least 12 hours in advance via email and notifications in the myPPC app.

The cost of electricity per kilowatt-hour will not be charged, but customers will still have to pay taxes and tariffs, including VAT, based on their consumption, according to PPC Energie. The company also stressed that the customers’ electricity supply contracts, including the price and supply terms, will remain unchanged.

Romanian households pay the highest average electricity price in the EU relative to purchasing power

According to Eurostat, Romania had the highest average electricity price for households relative to purchasing power in the second half of 2025. Expressed in purchasing power standard (PPS), it was 49.52 per 100 kWh, compared to the EU average of slightly under 29 per 100 kWh.

After September, PPC Energie will evaluate the results of the pilot program and decide on a possible next phase, according to its website.

PPC Energie is an electricity and natural gas supplier with around three million customers across Romania, including households, companies, and institutions. PPC Group, through PPC Renewables Romania, is one of the largest renewable energy producers in Romania, with over 1.5 GW of total installed capacity from wind, solar, and hydropower, according to PPC’s website.