Prime Minister Ilie Bolojan stated that energy bills should decrease starting from the second half of 2026. He explained that this will be possible with the introduction of energy storage units produced by photovoltaic panels.
„We will be able to store some of the very cheap electricity at noon to use it in the evening. The energy sector is vital because the competitiveness of our major companies depends on it. If you are in competition in the European market with a company that has energy 15% cheaper than yours, you are no longer competitive,” emphasized Bolojan, as reported by Digi24.
Criticism regarding the delay of energy projects
The Prime Minister criticized the delays at the Iernut power plant, started in 2016 and still unfinished after ten years.
"We probably have about 5% of the work left to complete, but we are at the second termination of the contract with the builder. Due to administrative incapacity, you wait ten years for a power plant that others build in two to three years. The first thing we need to do is invest in gas power plants because we have gas in Romania," the Prime Minister said.
He also mentioned hydroelectric power plants started 20-30 years ago and completed to over 70%, but never finalized, citing environmental reasons. "We need to finish our hydroelectric power plants. We have prolonged these projects a lot, and that was a big mistake," Bolojan pointed out.
Romania, dependent on imports during peak hours
The Prime Minister explained that the current energy system is different from that of a few decades ago when thermal power plants and hydroelectric power plants produced constantly. In Romania, many old and polluting units have been closed, but replacement projects have been delayed, reducing production capacity.
"At noon, we have an overproduction of cheap energy that we cannot consume, so we lose it. And in the evening, when we have closed capacities and demand is high, we import expensive electricity. Energy imports in the evening hours are always very costly, causing prices in Romania to sometimes be higher than in other countries in the region or even Western Europe," explained Bolojan.