Premier Energy Dismisses Romanian Exit and Bankruptcy Rumors — NRG-IA

Premier Energy Furnizare has informed its customers that rumors regarding an alleged bankruptcy, withdrawal from the Romanian market, or permanent cessation of operations are false, following the emergence of messages and calls spreading these scenarios. The company serves approximately 1.4 million residential and non-residential customers, meaning such rumors have the potential to quickly cause confusion in a market where switching suppliers is relatively easy. However, public data available as of August 18 indicates a very different situation. Premier Energy Furnizare continues to appear as an operational supplier on the POSF platform, holds an electricity supply license, and is listed on ANRE's list of suppliers of last resort (SoLR). Furthermore, on August 12, just days before the warning was sent to customers, ANRE issued Decision No. 1902 regarding the amendment of the conditions associated with the company's supply license No. 2011/2017. While these elements do not guarantee the company's future financial performance, they describe its current status in the energy market: a licensed and operational supplier, integrated into the mechanism through which ANRE ensures continuity of supply when other suppliers exit the market. The company rumored to be withdrawing is a supplier of last resort Supplier of last resort status is one of the most relevant elements for customers. Premier Energy Furnizare is on the list of five electricity suppliers of last resort designated by ANRE. This mechanism is designed for situations where consumers of another supplier must be taken over to ensure that electricity supply continues uninterrupted. This position does not, in itself, prove the future solvency of Premier Energy Furnizare. However, it shows that in the current structure of the regulated market, the company plays a much more significant role than suggested by rumors of an imminent exit from the supply business. In parallel, POSF, the IT platform used for switching suppliers, lists Premier Energy Furnizare (tax ID/CUI 21349608) as an operational electricity supplier associated with license No. 2011. For natural gas, the company is also listed in ANRE's records of market participants. The group is preparing a €700 million acquisition in Romania However, the strongest contradiction to the scenario of a withdrawal from Romania comes from the strategy of the parent group, Premier Energy PLC. In April, Premier Energy signed an agreement to acquire Evryo Group from Macquarie Asset Management, a transaction valued at approximately €700 million . The centerpiece of Evryo is Distribuție Energie Oltenia, one of the major electricity distribution networks in Romania. The acquisition is not yet finalized. The closing of the transaction is expected in the second half of 2026 and remains subject to regulatory approvals and other customary closing conditions. To finance the operation, Premier Energy PLC reported to the Bucharest Stock Exchange in June the signing of a bridge facility of up to €825 million with J.P. Morgan and UniCredit . The amount is intended both for the Evryo acquisition and for refinancing approximately €100 million of existing debt. A bridge facility is, by its nature, temporary financing. Premier Energy intends to replace it later with a longer-term financing structure, which may include bonds, a syndicated loan, or a combination of instruments. This represents one of the real financial risks to be assessed in the coming period: the scale of the acquisition will substantially expand the group, and the integration of Evryo and refinancing of the acquisition must be executed in a financial environment that may remain volatile. However, this is an execution and financing risk of an expansion strategy, not a confirmation of rumors about a withdrawal from Romania. Supply segment doubled its EBITDA in the first quarter The latest consolidated financial results published by Premier Energy PLC are those for the first quarter of 2026. The group reported normalized revenues of €536 million , up 12% compared to the same period last year, and normalized EBITDA of €52 million , a 23% increase. IFRS net profit stood at €13 million. The electricity and gas supply segment, directly relevant to the current rumors, reported normalized revenues of €464 million and normalized EBITDA of approximately €17 million, double that of the first quarter of 2025 . In the first three months of the year, the group supplied approximately 1.9 TWh of electricity and ranked as the fourth-largest electricity supplier in Romania. At the end of March, Premier Energy reported total assets of approximately €1.3 billion and net debt of around €260 million. These results are consolidated at the Premier Energy PLC level and should not be confused with the individual financial statements of Premier Energy Furnizare S.A. However, they are relevant for assessing the financial and strategic context of the group to which the supplier belongs. Almost…