SANY and Waldevar Start 220 MWh Battery Project in Romania — NRG-IA

Massive investment in Oltenia — Waldevar begins construction in Dobrești A massive battery storage capacity of 220 MWh and 95 MWp of solar energy are officially entering the construction phase in Dobrești, Dolj county, marking one of the largest developments of this type in Romania. Romanian company WALDEVAR Holding has commenced construction works for the two co-located energy projects developed for Chinese industrial giant SANY Group, according to data published by e-nergia.ro and Economica.net. The Dobrești project is not limited to clean energy generation and storage; it also includes the development of the entire high-voltage infrastructure required for direct connection to the National Transmission Grid. The symbolic ground-breaking ceremony took place on August 14, 2026, when an official delegation from SANY Group China joined WALDEVAR representatives at the site in Dolj county. This initiative represents a major step in transforming the energy profile of the Oltenia region, an area historically dominated by coal-fired generation. By integrating massive storage capacity directly at the generation site, the project directly addresses the Romanian power grid's urgent need for flexibility, currently strained by a wave of new photovoltaic installations lacking storage. The strategic partnership between the Romanian EPC and Chinese giant SANY SANY Group, globally recognized primarily for heavy machinery manufacturing and its wind energy division, is accelerating its renewable energy presence in the European Union, selecting Romania as a launchpad for utility-scale storage projects. The partnership with WALDEVAR Holding, a contractor with a consolidated track record in large-scale photovoltaic projects in Romania, provides the local expertise needed to navigate complex permitting and technical execution processes. The choice of Dolj county for this massive investment is strategic, as the region benefits from some of the best solar resources in Romania, as well as a transmission grid that requires rapid modernization to integrate new energy flows. The collaboration between the two entities highlights an increasingly common business model: global technology developers partnering with local EPC (Engineering, Procurement, and Construction) players to rapidly deliver grid-ready projects. Mitigating grid imbalances through large-scale battery storage Commissioning a 220 MWh storage capacity represents a critical injection of stability for the National Power Grid (SEN). As Romania increasingly records negative electricity prices on the spot market during midday hours—caused by solar overproduction paired with low consumption—storage becomes the only viable method to avoid commercial losses and restrictive dispatching of power plants. Co-located storage technology will allow batteries to charge during peak solar production hours and discharge energy into the grid during evening hours, when national consumption peaks and electricity prices are high. This mechanism not only optimizes investor revenues but also directly contributes to flattening the consumption curve and reducing reliance on gas- or coal-fired balancing plants. Execution deadlines and integration into the National Power Grid The next critical step for the Dobrești project is completing the construction of the substation and high-voltage power lines, essential elements for securing the final grid connection permit from Transelectrica. WALDEVAR Holding and SANY Group must ensure adherence to the construction schedule in a highly competitive market environment, where lead times for high-voltage equipment can generate major bottlenecks. The success of this project could serve as a best-practice model for future tenders and financing in Romania's renewable sector. As regulators impose increasingly strict requirements on storage capacities associated with new power plants, the Dolj project will demonstrate the technical and economic viability of utility-scale storage within the national grid.