Electro-Alfa International buys into Romania’s 52 MW battery-storage pipeline with €25 million Selimbar project

Electro-Alfa International is stepping further into energy storage after closing the purchase of a company that controls a large-scale battery project in Romania. The acquisition—of Solar Technologies Consulting—gives Electro-Alfa exposure to a planned 52 MW facility in Șelimbăr (Selimbar), an investment estimated at around €25 million, with construction expected to start after the design phase is finalized and to take roughly one year.

A storage bet with options on how the asset is monetized

Once the project is completed, Electro-Alfa said it could pursue different paths for the asset. The company may operate the installation directly or consider selling it to investors active in the energy sector. That flexibility matters in a market where storage value is increasingly tied to how quickly projects can secure grid access and move from planning into delivery.

New regulatory pressure targets speculative renewables

The acquisition arrives as Romanian authorities prepare stricter regulation aimed at reducing bottlenecks in renewable energy development. The country’s energy regulator, ANRE, is preparing a public consultation on new rules intended to limit speculative projects that occupy grid capacity without meaningful implementation progress.

Under the proposed framework, developers would need to provide financial guarantees before accessing the electricity network. ANRE’s approach includes an initial requirement of €20 per installed kW during allocation procedures, followed by additional commitments equal to 20% of connection costs after technical approval. The stated goal is to ensure that only serious investors proceed with grid access.

ANRE head George Niculescu said the measures are designed to eliminate inactive or speculative projects that slow down the energy transition, including cases where connection rights were reportedly traded online—an inefficiency authorities say contributes to delays.

Post-IPO expansion aligns with a shift toward storage

The deal also follows closely on Electro-Alfa’s debut on the Bucharest Stock Exchange earlier this year, when it raised significant capital through an initial public offering. The listing marked what the company described as a new phase of expansion for a group with experience spanning electrical equipment manufacturing, engineering services, and energy-efficiency solutions.

Electro-Alfa operates multiple production facilities and maintains in-house research and development capabilities, serving hundreds of domestic and international clients as part of a broader industrial group. With this latest acquisition, management signals a strategic shift toward strengthening its position in Romania’s fast-growing energy storage market.

Government push to unlock grid capacity

The regulatory effort has political backing as well. Prime Minister Ilie Bolojan confirmed that authorities have already compiled a list of stalled projects. Some developers are believed to hold permits without progressing construction, waiting instead for resale opportunities.

By tightening rules around inactive projects and increasing scrutiny of grid access claims, Romania’s government aims to free up capacity for new deployment, accelerate renewable development, improve investor confidence, and support longer-term alignment with European climate goals—factors that investors will watch closely as storage assets move from pipeline status toward commissioning.