Over 260 MW of connection capacity to the electricity grid for renewable energy power plants will become available to potential investors, after the National Energy Regulatory Agency (ANRE) applied the non-utilization fee for connection permits that were not used and had expired.

In this context, the ANRE Board of Directors adopted nine decisions regarding the application of the non-utilization fee, with a total value exceeding 131 million lei. The permits had been issued for eight photovoltaic projects and one wind farm project – with a total capacity of 262.45 MW – capacity that had been reserved on the grid without being used for actual investment implementation.

Releasing these capacities creates new opportunities for investors interested in developing energy projects.

It should be recalled that the introduction of the non-utilization fee and the performance guarantee was initiated last year by the Ministry of Energy to hold connection permit holders accountable. This measure was necessary because some permits had been obtained for speculative purposes or were not utilized, blocking access to the grid for other viable projects.

According to legal provisions, holders of connection permits who did not voluntarily renounce them by June 30, 2025, and did not implement the projects within the established deadlines, are required to pay, upon expiration of the permits, a fee between 50% and 70% of the value of the financial performance guarantee.

Additionally, for connection permits issued after June 30, 2025, new holders are required to submit a financial guarantee at the time of obtaining the connection permit. If the power plant is not built, this guarantee will be retained by the grid operator and used for maintenance and development of the electricity infrastructure.

The State Tax Service will monitor the payment of fees and, where applicable, enforce measures for compulsory collection.