Iustinian Captariu is a Partner in the Bucharest office, the head of the Romanian Energy & Natural Resources and Competition & State Aid service lines. He also serves as head of the firm-wide Energy & Natural Resources sector and service line.

Iustinian focuses on energy & natural resources, environment and regulatory, competition & state aid (including obtaining FDI clearances), infrastructure & projects, M&A, and joint ventures. Recent experience highlights include advising on a multitude of renewable projects under development and renewable M&A and joint ventures, nuclear projects, as well as trading, regulatory matters and investigations of the energy regulatory body (ANRE).

Partner Iustinian Captariu leads the energy team at Kinstellar. He really is an exceptional lawyer. Very knowledgeable, hands-on, efficient and a trusted advisor for our business. The team as well is truly outstanding and they are a go-to advisor in all things energy and natural resources related in Romania!

Iustinian is an exceptional professional. He is very practical, always has a reasonable, down-to-earth approach and provides very high-quality advice.

Legal 500, 2024 / Chambers Europe, 2024

RECENT ENGAGEMENTS INCLUDE ADVISING

Energy & Natural Resources

• INVESTORS FROM AROUND THE WORLD on renewable energy investments in Romania, with total planned generating capacity of approximately 4,000 MW; assistance includes advice on transaction structuring, SPAs, development agreements, joint ventures, due diligence, PPAs and regulatory matters, as well as all other matters in the lifecycle of a renewables project from early stages to ready-to-build status and beyond
• JANTZEN RENEWABLES APS (Danish developer) on its transaction with OMV Petrom, the largest integrated energy company in Southeast Europe, for the purchase of the Helios 1 photovoltaic cluster in Romania (the installed power of the cluster was estimated to be approximately 710 MW - one of Southeast Europe's most significant photovoltaic projects)
• A CANADIAN CONGLOMERATE on the involvement regarding the refurbishment of reactor 1 of the Cernavodă Nuclear Power Plant (a project worth estimated more than EUR 1.5 billion), as well as on the potential development of reactors 3 & 4
• A CORPORATION FORMED BY US OIL INVESTORS on the bid for the acquisition of 40 on-shore oil fields from OMV Petrom, including advising on the environmental and abandonment issues related to the upstream sector in Romania
• A MULTINATIONAL UTILITY COMPANY on its long-term gas purchasing agreement from the Black Sea, the most important offshore project for the region in the last 50 years and vital for securing the supply of gas to Romania and the region as a whole
• MET GROUP, an integrated European energy company based in Switzerland, on its expansion in Romania through two major acquisitions in the energy and gas markets, namely of Repower Furnizare, a company active in the field of electricity supply and trading in Romania since 2007, with an annual turnover of more than EUR 100 million, as well as of RWE ENERGIE, a company active in the supply and trading of energy and natural gas, with an annual turnover of around EUR 150 million

Competition & State Aid

• BRD FOND DE PENSII, a pension fund part of Groupe Société Générale, on an investigation conducted by the Romanian Competition Council into the private pension funds market
• BRD ASIGURARI DE VIATA, an insurance company part of Groupe Société Générale,on an investigation opened by the Romanian Competition Council on the insurance market, a very high-level case dealing with an alleged exchange of sensitive information
• TWO LEASING COMPANIES IN ROMANIA on two high-profile cartel investigations on the operational and financial leasing relevant markets for exchange of commercially sensitive information through an association
• MASTERCARD on an investigation started by the Romanian Competition Council on interchange fees
• PENTA INVESTMENTS GROUP on obtaining the merger clearance from the Romanian Competition Council in respect of its acquisition of A&D Pharma Holdings NV, one the largest to date on the local pharma market

Infrastructure, PPPs and Public Procurement

• A CANADIAN CORPORATION on the Romanian law public procurement matters in the nuclear sector related to the proposed refurbishment of Reactor 1 of the Cernavodă power plant, as well as on the potential development of reactors 3 & 4
• A CONSORTIUM OF INTERNATIONAL COMPANIES on the preliminary phases of the PPP project for the construction of Comarnic – Brașov motorway valued more than EUR 1 billion
• A CONSORTIUM OF INTERNATIONAL COMPANIES on the PPP project for the construction of Targu Neamt – Iasi motorway valued more than EUR 1 billion
• A CONSORTIUM OF INTERNATIONAL COMPANIES on the tender for the construction of Metro line phase 1: 1 Mai – Tokyo stations in Bucharest, valued at approximately EUR 265 million

Environment & Regulatory

• A CORPORATION FORMED BY US OIL INVESTORS on complex environmental and abandonment issues related to the upstream sector in Romania in the context of its acquisition of 44 on-shore oil fields from OMV Petrom
• A WORLDWIDE REPUTED UK-BASED MINING COMPANY on prospecting matters in Romania, with advice covering mining regulatory and environmental aspects, as well as licensing and structuring requirements
• A MAJOR EUROPEAN TRANSPORT PLAYER on the environmental requirements in relation to the transport of dangerous goods
• A MAJOR REGIONAL ENERGY PLAYER on the environmental and regulatory aspects regarding the acquisition of several hydro power plants in Romania
• A US BASED MULTINATIONAL COMPANY specialized in collecting and disposing of medical waste and sharps, pharmaceuticals, hazardous waste and others, on Romanian law related environmental regulations (including raids and sanctions applied by authorities) and other regulatory aspects
• PERRIGO, a leader in manufacturing and distributing medicines, alimentary supplements, cosmetics and para-pharmaceuticals, on various pharma regulatory aspects, aside from competition and other day-to-day aspects

EDUCATION

• 2007: University of Bucharest, Romania, Faculty of Law, Bachelor of Law

PROFESSIONAL AFFILIATION

• Romanian Union of Lawyers
• Bucharest Bar Association

LANGUAGES

Romanian, English, French