The announcement was made on Monday, November 10, by Dan Plaveti, president of Hidroelectrica’s Directorate, at a conference organised by Focus Energetic on the challenges facing Romania’s energy system during the winter of 2026–2027, Forbes.ro reported.
The project, conceived during the communist period, was initially designed with an installed capacity of approximately 1,000 MW. Its investment cost was estimated at more than EUR 1 billion over 15 years ago, but the current study could determine whether the original scale and cost assumptions remain relevant.
Hidroelectrica and EDF have established a partnership and set up a special-purpose vehicle (SPV) to develop the project. The pre-feasibility study is expected to provide the first concrete indications of its configuration.
A possible support scheme could play an important role in the development of such large-scale investments, given the high construction costs and the long period required to recover capital.
Changes in electricity consumption, the expansion of renewable generation and the growing need for storage capacity could influence both the plant’s optimal size and its profitability.
Financing is another key issue. Plaveti said that financial models had been discussed in principle with the Ministry of Energy, which is analysing the possibility of introducing state aid schemes for energy storage projects. Such support could help make the investment viable, given the high construction costs and long capital recovery period.
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