150 million euros for battery energy storage: Applicant's Guide published in the Official Gazette

Romania's energy sector takes a major strategic step towards modernisation and resilience. The Applicant's Guide for the financing scheme dedicated to investments in stand-alone battery electricity storage facilities, supported through the Modernisation Fund, has been published in the Official Gazette.

With an allocated budget of €150 million, the programme aims to develop a new storage capacity of at least 2,174 MWh, directly connected to the National Energy System (SEN). This initiative is essential for the efficient integration of renewable generation, mitigating grid imbalances, and optimising the costs of system services.

Who can apply and how funding is awarded

The call is open to commercial enterprises of any size – from start-ups to large companies – whose scope of activity includes NACE (CAEN) code 35 (production, transmission, distribution, commercialisation, and storage of electricity).

Project selection will be carried out through a competitive bidding procedure (auction), with the primary criterion being the lowest amount of financial aid requested per installed MWh. The support is capped at a maximum of €69,000/MWh, and the total value of state aid granted to a single enterprise can reach the threshold of €15 million, regardless of the number of submitted projects.

Implementation timeline

- 1 September – 30 October 2026: Project registration and submission via the MySMIS platform;
- November 2026: Publication of the provisional ranking, sorted by requested price/MWh;
- November – December 2026: Verification of administrative compliance and applicant eligibility;
- January – February 2027: Resolution of appeals and signing of financing contracts;
- Completion deadline: Commissioning of the facilities must take place within a maximum of 48 months from contracting.

By operationalising these storage capacities, the energy system will benefit from enhanced flexibility, ensuring security of electricity supply and reducing reliance on conventional sources during peak consumption periods.