The proposed Green Energy Corridor (GECO) would link Azerbaijan and Georgia with Romania and Hungary through a Black Sea electricity route, with transmission and dedicated renewable generation estimated at about €22.1 billion, according to a project report. The corridor aims to transfer up to 20 TWh a year to the EU.
The plan envisages three 525 kV submarine high-voltage direct-current (HVDC) cables, each with a capacity of 1.3 GW. The route would run from Georgia to Romania, then connect with the Romanian and Hungarian electricity systems.
The report estimates the transmission component at €14.3 billion and the renewable generation needed to supply the corridor at €7.8 billion. The first electricity link is targeted for 2032, with a second phase planned for 2036.
Potential impact on regional power flows
If built, GECO could make Romania a major landing and balancing point for east-west electricity flows. It could also deepen Hungary’s access to renewable electricity from outside the EU.
The corridor could interact with investment in Romanian solar power, storage, gas and nuclear energy, affecting congestion patterns and the value of regional interconnectors. The project would place Romania and Hungary as key nodes in a wider Caspian-EU electricity corridor, rather than mainly regional market participants.
Financing and execution challenges
GECO crosses multiple jurisdictions and requires deep-water cable engineering. Its delivery also depends on a cost-allocation and financing structure suited to investment measured in tens of billions of euros.
A parallel hydrogen-pipeline concept is estimated at €6.6–13 billion. It could add optionality but also execution complexity, while GECO remains a long-duration strategic corridor rather than a source of near-term supply. The concept points to the Black Sea’s growing role as an electricity and gas gateway linking Caspian resources with Central Europe.
