First-half 2026 trade flows and net position
Romania narrowed its physical electricity import deficit during the first half of 2026 as domestic generation increased and exports strengthened. Transmission-system data show physical exports rose 52% year on year to 4.98 TWh, while imports were broadly unchanged at around 5.77 TWh. The resulting physical net-import position fell to around 0.79 TWh, compared with about 2.47 TWh in the same period of 2025.
Domestic net generation increased by approximately 7%, while electricity consumption was broadly flat. Exports strengthened particularly towards Hungary, Ukraine and Moldova. The data indicate a gradual shift in Romania’s regional market position over the period.
Role of storage and intraday price swings
Romania continues to switch between net importing and exporting depending on nuclear availability, hydrology and renewable production. During periods of domestic surplus, the generation fleet is increasingly positioned to supply neighbouring markets. Storage is becoming a more prominent element of that development.
By 1 July, Romania had around 924 MW of installed battery power and approximately 1,762.5 MWh of storage capacity. Several significantly larger BESS projects remain under construction or development. The expansion is relevant as Romanian wholesale prices become increasingly volatile within the day.
Strong solar output can push daytime prices sharply lower, while evening prices rise as photovoltaic output falls. Recent sessions saw midday prices near or below €100/MWh, followed by evening values above €250/MWh. Battery storage enables operators to shift part of the midday surplus into higher-value hours.
This can reduce import demand during evening peaks while limiting the need to export solar-heavy generation at depressed prices. The first-half balance does not indicate that Romania has eliminated exposure to imports. It also highlights how quickly system conditions can change when multiple generation sources are constrained.
Nuclear-hydro disruptions and transmission constraints
The summer disruption at Cernavodă and unusually low Danube levels showed how quickly the system can become short when nuclear and hydro availability deteriorate together. Underlying flexibility is improving, with more wind and solar capacity being connected and storage expanding. Romania also has access to neighbouring markets through Hungary, Bulgaria, Serbia, Ukraine and Moldova.
The key constraint is increasingly transmission capacity. If renewable and battery additions continue to outpace network development, congestion could limit how effectively new assets reach higher-priced domestic or cross-border markets. For traders, grid location and cross-border capacity are becoming more important variables alongside generation costs.
Regional switching based on hourly conditions
Romania’s first-half data suggest the country is moving beyond the role of a structurally import-dependent market. It is developing into a more flexible regional system that can switch between imports and exports based on hourly price signals, generation availability and cross-border constraints.
