Transelectrica Opens Grid Allocation: €20,000/MW Guarantee — NRG-IA

Transelectrica has launched the platform for allocating grid capacity dedicated to new power generation and storage projects. Developers can submit applications until July 14, 2026, and each request must be accompanied by a participation guarantee of €20,000 per MW of requested capacity. The platform manages applications and auction sessions for both the transmission grid and distribution networks. The mechanism applies to new generation facilities with an installed capacity of at least 5 MW, capacity expansions, and storage facilities connected individually or at existing consumption and generation sites. It targets the 220 kV and 400 kV transmission grid, as well as the 110 kV and medium-voltage distribution networks. For projects exceeding 50 MW, applications are submitted directly to Transelectrica, in its capacity as transmission system operator. Projects up to and including 50 MW are managed by the distribution system operator in the area where the investment is to be located, also through the platform administered by Transelectrica. €20,000/MW becomes the financial entry barrier The participation guarantee must be submitted alongside the allocation request. For 2026, the amount is set at €20,000/MW, calculated in RON at the National Bank of Romania (BNR) exchange rate valid on the date of issuance. Developers can use a bank guarantee letter, a term bank deposit, or direct payment to Transelectrica. The scale of this financial commitment becomes significant for any large-scale project: a 5 MW project enters the procedure with a €100,000 guarantee; a 50 MW project requires €1 million; a 100 MW project ties up €2 million; a 500 MW project reaches a guarantee of €10 million. The guarantee introduces a financial screening process prior to the auction. ANRE (the energy regulator) has explicitly linked this measure to increasing developer accountability and ensuring well-founded applications, in a market where many projects previously reserved capacity without progressing to construction. Funds do not remain permanently locked for participants who comply with the procedure. Transelectrica returns the guarantee to unsuccessful bidders within a maximum of two business days from the conclusion of the auction. Winners receive their guarantee back after submitting the signed allocation contract. Grid capacity gets priced in congested areas The application submission phase closes on July 14. Transelectrica will centralize validated projects by July 24 and update the global solution study by October 23. The study establishes the available capacity for each grid zone, the additional works required for connection, and the starting prices for sessions where demand exceeds available capacity. The procedure features four main scenarios. In areas where requests remain within the limits of available capacity, all eligible projects receive allocation, and contracts are concluded at a zero bid price. The remaining free capacity is carried over to subsequent rounds. In areas where demand exceeds available capacity and additional grid investments are required, Transelectrica organizes auctions. The starting price is based on the ratio between the estimated value of the grid development works and the additional capacity created by these investments. When requests exceed even the available capacity after taking additional works into account, projects are ranked by the bid price per MW. Higher bids take priority, and in the case of identical bids, the order is determined by the timestamp of submission on the platform. Grid connection capacity thus becomes a resource with direct economic value. Developers of solar, wind, battery storage, gas-fired plants, or hybrid projects will compete for the right to inject power into the grid in a specific year and zone. The first auction starts on October 30 The first round has a special schedule for 2026. Transelectrica will organize the auctions starting October 30, with one held each business day for each year of the allocation period. The sessions will run between 08:00 and 13:00, and bids can be modified or withdrawn until the auction closes. The allocation period spans ten years, starting from the second year after the auction session. For the 2026 auctions, the targeted capacity covers the 2028–2037 interval. Following the auction, Transelectrica transmits the allocation contracts within a maximum of five business days. The winner must establish a financial guarantee for the capacity payment, equal to 1% of the contract value. The first payment installment represents at least 20% of the allocated capacity value and must be paid within 30 days, with full payment completed within a maximum of four months. Failure to meet contractual deadlines results in the loss of the allocated capacity and the forfeiture of the associated guarantees. The procedure thus shifts financial responsibility earlier into the project development phase and links grid access to the investor's actual capability…