September 2024 – Romania is set to hold its first contracts for difference (“CfD”) auction in the next few weeks. The Ministry of Energy has taken further steps and issued the order for initiating the CfD auction under the CfD scheme.
On 6 September 2024, Order No. 1290/2024, approving the launch of the first auction for the State aid scheme in the form of contracts for difference for the production of electricity from renewable sources of onshore wind and solar photovoltaic energy, as well as the rules of the procedure for the first auction (“Order 1290/2024”), was published in the Official Gazette of Romania and entered into force on the same date.
The total capacity targeted is 1,500 MW of renewables; specifically, 1,000 MW of installed capacity for the production of electricity from onshore wind and 500 MW of installed capacity for the production of electricity from solar photovoltaic sources, both as a result of the first round of auctions to be held by the end of 2024. The maximum strike prices approved under Order 1290/2024 are EUR 82/MWh for onshore wind and EUR 78/MWh for solar photovoltaic sources. Other relevant aspects provided in Order 1290/2024 include participation and performance guarantees, bidder and project requirements, bid submission requirements, details regarding the process, etc.
The timeline for the first auction will be published on the websites of the Ministry of Energy and the CfD operator - Compania Națională de Transport al Energiei Electrice "Transelectrica" S.A. It will include, but is not limited to, information regarding clarification periods, the deadline for submission of applications, the evaluation process of technical offers, the period for contestations, the selection of financial offers, and the estimated signing date for CfD contracts.
Update: The calendar for the first auction under the CfD scheme was published on the website of the Ministry of Energy. The deadline for submission of applications is 18 November 2024.