OMV Petrom Invests EUR 115M in Petrobrazi Grid — NRG-IA

Securing Power Supply at Petrobrazi — OMV Petrom Completes EUR 115 Million Investment OMV Petrom has invested 115 million euros to rebuild the electrical infrastructure of the Petrobrazi refinery. This massive capital injection aims to completely replace medium and low-voltage distribution equipment. The project represents an essential pillar in the Romanian energy giant's transformation strategy. According to data published by Forbes România, the investment strengthens the operational stability of the country's largest refinery. The works included the installation of state-of-the-art equipment designed to increase the energy efficiency of industrial processes. Ziarul Financiar notes that this modernization directly supports the transition towards lower-carbon operations. The Petrobrazi refinery, with a processing capacity of 4.5 million tons per year, thus secures its operational continuity. Specialized publication e-nergia emphasizes that the modernization of the electrical grid is closely linked to the group's future green projects. The implemented technology allows real-time digital monitoring of energy flows within the industrial platform. The automated control system reduces response times in case of voltage fluctuations or local failures. This digitalization lowers the risk of unplanned shutdowns, which generate major financial losses in the refining industry. The investment is a critical step for alignment with European industrial safety standards. The Green Transition and Legacy Equipment — Why This Capital Was Required The need for this major investment stems from OMV Petrom's strategic plan to integrate new production capacities. The Petrobrazi platform is set to host large-scale production facilities for SAF (Sustainable Aviation Fuel) and green hydrogen. The legacy electrical grid could not support the consumption and load profile of these new industrial technologies. Physical and moral wear of the old electrical installations, designed in previous technological eras, represented an operational risk factor. Any fluctuation in the internal distribution network can disrupt the complex chemical processes of crude oil refining. By replacing switchboards and transformers, the company reduces its own energy consumption in the production process. Furthermore, strict regulations on industrial emissions and energy efficiency dictate the continuous modernization of strategic assets. Investments of this type are becoming mandatory to maintain competitiveness in the regional fuel market. Without a resilient electrical network, implementing decarbonization projects funded by PNRR or equity would have been impossible. Stability for the Fuel Market and Reduced Pressure on the National Grid For the Romanian and regional markets, modernizing the refinery means an additional guarantee for the constant supply of fuels. Petrobrazi provides a significant share of the domestic gasoline and diesel demand. Reducing the risk of internal electrical failures prevents supply shocks that could influence pump prices. On a technical level, a refinery with modernized electrical infrastructure interacts much more stably with the National Energy System (SEN). Petrobrazi has its own high-efficiency cogeneration plant, and balancing internal consumption is crucial. Optimizing technological self-consumption reduces pressure on the transmission grid operated by Transelectrica during peak hours. In addition, this 115 million euro investment demonstrates that major industrial consumers are taking on the costs of the energy transition. Decarbonization cannot be achieved solely by installing solar panels; it requires reinforcing the core electrical infrastructure. This integrated approach protects local grid stability and prevents major imbalances in the balancing market. Green Hydrogen Integration — The Timeline of New Facilities at Petrobrazi The next critical phase for the Petrobrazi refinery is the commissioning of new biofuel production capacities. OMV Petrom has major projects underway for green hydrogen production through electrolysis, scheduled for the coming years. The newly completed power grid will be tested to its maximum capacity once these massive industrial consumers are connected. The main short-term risk remains the perfect synchronization between the completion of hydrogen plants and the availability of renewable energy. For hydrogen to be certified green, the company must secure electricity from wind or solar sources with guarantees of origin. This dependence on the renewable energy market could generate volatile operating costs in the first years of operation. Final investment decisions for other decarbonization modules depend directly on the performance of this newly installed electrical infrastructure. Monitoring the grid's behavior over the next year will provide the technical data needed to expand green projects. OMV Petrom aims to achieve net-zero carbon emissions in its operations by 2050, with Petrobrazi…