Romania’s electricity consumption fell by 3.4% during the first five months of 2026, while domestic production rose by 6.2%. The changes supported the country’s underlying power balance as two-way cross-border trading continued. Total consumption reached 20.21 TWh.
Consumption trends across industry, households and public lighting
Industrial users accounted for 15.53 TWh of electricity consumption, down 0.8%. Household demand declined by 11.3% to 4.51 TWh. Public-lighting electricity use decreased by 5.2% to 168.4 GWh.
The larger part of the national decline came from the reduction in household demand. Industrial consumption was comparatively resilient, though it still showed a modest contraction among manufacturers and other large users.
Generation mix: hydro growth, thermal decline, nuclear lower
Total electricity production reached 22.33 TWh, supported by hydro, wind and solar. Hydropower generation increased by 23.2% to 6.38 TWh, approaching the level of thermal output. Thermal generation fell by 4.4% to 6.68 TWh.
Nuclear generation from the Cernavodă plant declined by 12.3% to 4.04 TWh. Wind output rose by 15.4% to 3.02 TWh, while solar production, including prosumers, increased by 35.9% to 2.21 TWh. Wind and solar together produced 5.23 TWh.
Wind and solar exceed nuclear on a combined basis
The combined wind and solar total of 5.23 TWh represented approximately 23% of total production. Their output exceeded nuclear generation during the period covered by the figures.
This shift coincided with changing hourly supply patterns as renewable generation expanded within the overall generation mix . Romania’s exports and imports moved in parallel with those variations .
Cross-border trade and hourly balance volatility
Electricity exports rose by 13.1% to 6.47 TWh, while imports fell by 11.8% to 6.88 TWh. On gross trade figures Romania remained a small net importer, but the deficit narrowed to approximately 0.41 TWh.
The simultaneous increase in production, exports and renewable output points to more volatile hourly balances . Romania could export during periods with strong hydro, wind or solar generation while importing during evening peaks, low-wind conditions or outages affecting nuclear and thermal units.
Bigger renewable shares shift flexibility requirements for markets
A higher renewable share supports Romania’s annual energy balance while also increasing reliance on flexibility options such as storage, demand response and cross-border capacity . Solar expansion was fastest, contributing more midday supply and a steeper evening ramp compared with earlier patterns.
The wind profile differed from solar and delivered higher annual utilisation, but its variability required separate balancing arrangements . Investment needs therefore extend beyond generation capacity alone, with batteries, pumped storage, flexible gas units and network reinforcement identified as key elements for monetising additional renewable output without increasing curtailment or deeper negative-price exposure.
