♦ Of the 1 billion euro value of the projects, 650 million euros have already been invested ♦ Even with valid environmental agreements, some projects are blocked by court actions initiated by various NGOs.
The value of the unfinished hydropower plants due to some environmental blockages, but whose degree of execution is at least 60%, is 1 billion euros, of which about 650 million euros have already been invested. Even with valid environmental agreements, some projects are blocked by court actions initiated by various NGOs. In total, 182 MW of hydro energy, which could increase by about 4% the energy production of Hidroelectrica, the largest local producer, lies at the construction stage.
Meanwhile, Romania heats up the cables with expensive energy imports. «The extension of the environmental procedures and the associated litigations do not only have a one-off impact on individual projects, but produce systemic effects, affecting the achievement of the objectives of major public interest regarding energy security, energy transition and the sustainable exploitation of hydropower resources», say the representatives of Hidroelectrica, the largest energy producer in Romania. According to the data provided by the company, the installed capacity/power of all these facilities that are blocked is about 240 MW, with an average project energy of about 665 GWh/year. Compared to Hidroelectrica's portfolio, which has 6,480 MW of capacity and a production of about 14 TWh, the completion of these investments would add 4% to the company's energy production. One of the hydropower plants received the environmental permit this month. Thus, on January 26, this year, the Ministry of the Environment issued the environmental agreement for the hydrotechnical and energy complex Cerna-Motru-Tismana, stage II, a project started 50 years ago, 90% completed. «As part of the environmental impact assessment procedure, the decision was made to issue the environmental agreement on January 26, 2026 (for the Cerna-Motru-Tismana hydrotechnical and energy complex, stage II – ed.). The decision was taken by the Technical Analysis Commission of MMAP (Ministry of Environment, Water and Forests) following the full completion of the environmental impact assessment procedure, carried out in accordance with national legislation and the rules of the European Union», say representatives of the Ministry of the Environment to a ZF request. However, the existence of an environmental agreement is not a sure recipe for making an investment, in the context where NGOs initiate litigation even after this step.
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