Regulatory authorisation for Arcus photovoltaic plant
Hungarian utility group MVM has secured regulatory approval for a 24.6 MW photovoltaic project in Romania. The development is planned near Arcus in Covasna county and is being carried out by MVM Energie Romania. Development work started in 2022, and Romanian regulator ANRE has now granted the required authorisation.
Project footprint, connection limits and commissioning timeline
The investment is estimated at around €16 million, with commercial operation targeted for mid-2027. The plant will occupy around 20 hectares. While installed photovoltaic capacity will reach 24.6 MW, the maximum permitted network injection is set at 21.2 MW.
Expected output and role in MVM’s supply portfolio
Annual production is expected to correspond to the electricity consumption of approximately 12,000 households. MVM plans to integrate the project’s electricity into its Romanian supply portfolio rather than treating Arcus solely as an independent merchant generator. The company says an integrated supplier can combine owned generation with wholesale procurement and customer demand, reducing dependence on purchasing all required electricity from the market.
Regional renewable expansion and capacity target through 2035
The Arcus project is part of MVM’s regional expansion strategy across central and eastern Europe. The group has operated in Romania for more than 15 years and is active in electricity and natural gas supply as well as renewable generation. Across the region, MVM aims to develop more than 3 GW of additional renewable capacity by 2035.
Cost per megawatt basis and output management considerations
Based on the headline figures, the Arcus investment of around €16 million equates to roughly €650,000 per MW of installed capacity, though available information does not specify which development, grid or financing costs are included. The gap between installed capacity and maximum permitted network injection will require output management when photovoltaic production approaches its technical maximum.
The project also reflects MVM’s approach of adding locally generated renewable electricity to markets where it already operates customer supply businesses. Individual projects may be relatively small compared with the 3 GW regional target, but collectively they can increase the share of demand covered by MVM’s own low-carbon generation.
