Romania increased net electricity imports by 82.08% to 135.72 GWh in the week to 20 September. The move coincided with declines in wind and solar generation and a fall in hydropower output. Demand also dropped, but imports still rose.
Romania’s net electricity imports increased by 82.08% to 135.72 GWh in the week ending 20 September. The increase followed a decline in variable renewable generation, alongside heavier reliance on cross-border supply. Imports rose despite lower domestic demand.
Romanian wind and solar output fell by 25.9%, while hydropower generation decreased by 13.50%. Electricity demand was also lower, down 5.83% to 866.61 GWh. The reduction in consumption did not prevent net imports from rising.
Cross-border balances and day-ahead price spread
The change widened the difference between Romania and neighbouring Bulgaria. Bulgaria remained a net exporter of 247.47 GWh, although its export balance fell by 9.90% from the previous week. Romanian day-ahead power averaged €177.36/MWh, compared with €162.07/MWh in Bulgaria, a premium of about €15/MWh.
The figures indicate a potential trading setup rather than a guaranteed outcome for cross-border transactions. Whether a weekly price gap can be captured depends on available transmission capacity, hourly prices, and the cost of securing capacity. Romania’s weekly average price was nearly unchanged despite the higher import volume.
The volume shift therefore represented the clearest market signal in the period described, with weaker domestic renewable and hydro output increasing reliance on neighbouring systems even as electricity consumption declined.