Production starts at new 38.4 MW wind farm northeast of Bucharest
Eximprod, which installed the first wind turbine in Romania more than two decades ago, delivered the first megawatt-hours to the grid from its new wind farm in the country’s east. In addition, it is about to receive a commercial operating license for a 49.5 MW solar park in Prahova county.
Several other wind parks are also under construction amid a revival in investments in Romania. Rezolv recently secured financing for phase 2 of its Vifor wind power plant, set to become one of the largest in Europe.
Romania has been enjoying a solar power boom for the past three years, and the pace of the construction of battery energy storage facilities (BESS) is accelerating. On the wind energy front, the country’s capacity has barely held above 3 GW for a long time after the 3.24 GW peak in 2014, due to the failure of an incentives mechanism. But the investment momentum is strengthening – notably, Eximprod said it launched the operation of its 38.4 MW wind power plant in the Galați area.
The company actually installed the first wind turbine in Romania. In 2003, it put online the Vestas V 47 machine of 660 kW in Topolog in Tulcea County in the country’s east.
Eximprod Group (EPG) also provides equipment and services in the energy sector. The company’s contractor Lemacons poured concrete less than half a year ago for the foundation of the first wind turbine in the new Cudalbi 2 facility. It is located in Galați county in eastern Romania, in the Western Moldavia region.
Eximprod received support through National Recovery and Resilience Plan
Cudalbi 2 is the first wind park in the country with Enercon turbines in 12 years. The model is E-160 EP5 E2, of 5.5 MW. Eximprod has won state support for the project northeast of Bucharest via the National Recovery and Resilience Plan (NRRP or, in Romanian, PNRR). The funds are approved under the European Union’s Recovery and Resilience Facility (RRF).
The company has also built the nearby Cudalbi 1 wind farm of 54 MW, consisting of nine turbines.
In addition, Eximprod is about to receive the commercial operating license from National Energy Regulatory Authority (ANRE) for its Solar System Project photovoltaic plant. It completed the facility with 49.5 MW in connection capacity in April. According to its documentation, the facility has 65 MW in peak capacity. It consists of five units with grid connections of 9.9 MW each.
The solar park is in Ciorani, Prahova county, north of the capital city. The endeavor was reportedly worth EUR 56.2 million including a grant of EUR 13.4 million from the NRRP. The company plans to add a BESS unit of 21 MW in operating power. The said final permit will allow the project firm to sell electricity.
Lenders indicate confidence in Romania’s wind power market with financing package for Vifor
In other recent news, Rezolv secured a EUR 331 million financing package for the 269 MW second phase of its Vifor wind farm in Buzău county. It includes EUR 44 million from the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD).
Erste Group, UniCredit Group, International Finance Corp. (IFC), Intesa Sanpaolo Group, OTP Bank and Raiffeisenlandesbank Niederösterreich-Wien all participate in the arrangement.
The Vifor wind park would consist of 72 turbines of 6.4 MW each
The first part of Vifor is under construction and scheduled for commissioning in the spring. Rezolv plans to complete phase two in late 2027. The wind park would be one of the biggest in Europe, at 461 MW. The company is installing 72 Vestas V162 turbines of 6.4 MW.
Rezolv won a contract-for-difference (CfD) at the country’s first renewable energy auctions for phase 2, for 240 MW. The government approved 1.1 GW for wind power. The qualifications phase is ongoing for the second round of auctions, for 2 GW for wind park projects and 1.47 GW for photovoltaics.
Several wind farms under construction
According to the International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA), Romania had just under 3.1 GW in wind power capacity in operation at the end of 2024.
Eurowind Energy built the turbines earlier this year at its Pecineaga wind park. Greece-based Public Power Corp. (PPC) is supposed to connect its Deleni facility to the grid before the end of the year.
OX2 is building the Green Breeze wind farm as the turnkey contractor for the investor, Nala Renewables.
