The Government of Romania plans to provide funding for the installation of standalone battery energy storage systems (BESS) and smart meters.
The Ministry of Energy of Romania has announced the launch of two calls for projects funded through the EU Modernisation Fund, totaling EUR 250 million.
The initiatives aim to optimize energy consumption, reduce bills, and enhance the stability of the national energy system, according to the ministry.
The call for BESS provides EUR 150 million for standalone batteries. Grants will be awarded through a competitive bidding scheme, capped at EUR 69,000 per MWh installed and a maximum of EUR 15 million per company.
EUR 100 million for the installation of smart meters
The call aims to develop new energy storage facilities with a total minimum capacity of 2,174 MWh. Applications will be open from September 1, 2026, to October 30, 2026, with a project completion deadline of December 31, 2030, the update reads.
The second call allocates EUR 100 million for the installation of smart meters. Funding will be granted to the four distribution system operators (DSOs) – Distribuție Energie Electrică România, Delgaz Grid, Rețele Electrice România, and Distribuție Energie Oltenia.
The funding is capped at EUR 25 million per operator. The objective is to deploy over 800,000 smart meters to enable real-time consumption billing and reduce grid losses.
The country has six DSOs
The call is set to open on August 3, 2026, and close on December 2, 2026, with a completion deadline set for December 31, 2029.
Of note, the country has six DSOs. Rețele Electrice România, owned by Greek company PPC, comprises Rețele Electrice Muntenia, Rețele Electrice Dobrogea, and Rețele Electrice Banat. Electrica Group runs Distribuție Energie Electrică România, Delgaz Grid is part of E.ON, and Macquarie Infrastructure controls Distribuție Energie Oltenia.
Prime Minister of Romania and Acting Minister of Energy Ilie Bolojan stressed that investments in energy storage and smart metering are essential for modernizing the country’s energy system.
“Through these two funding packages worth EUR 250 million, we are helping to stabilize the grid, reduce losses, and create the conditions for citizens to pay only for their actual consumption at better prices,” Bolojan pointed out.
