Transelectrica connects wind power projects to the grid

National electricity transmission company Transelectrica (TEL) will invest between 200 and 250 million euros over the next few years in voltage transformation substations and in electrical lines needed to connect wind power projects in Dobrogea (SE Romania), the new El Dorado of energy businesses, to the national grid.

“These investments will be correlated with investors’ plans for wind power stations. Investment estimates for this area range between 200 and 250 million euros. A big share of the investments will be financed through the connection charges,” said R`zvan Purdil`, head of the corporate strategy division of Transelectrica.

According to company data, at the beginning of August, 133 projects with a cumulated capacity of over 3,600 MW had contracts signed to connect to the grid, which amounts to over 40% of current domestic energy production.

Wind energy is by far the biggest business in Romania at present, considering that investments in the 3,600 MW alone would amount to over 5.7 billion euros, but new projects are announced every day.

Dobrogea has in the past two years become the most sought after place by investors in wind energy, attracting local investors at first, such as Emanuel Muntmark, who bought land from locals and secured permits from the authorities, and then selling the projects to big European energy groups, such as Germany’s RWE or Italy’s Enel.