EBRD mulls 325 mln euro loans to Romanian power distributors

The loans would target network upgrades and increased efficiency, with Retele Electrice Banat set to receive up to 175 million euro and Retele Electrice Dobrogea set to get up to 150 million euro, the EBRD said in a press release.

The financial programmes are still in the exploratory stage, pending approval on March 20.

The loans are aimed at co-financing part of the two companies’ 2023-2024 investment programme directed at network modernisation and digitalisation. The total cost of Retele Electrice Banat’s project amounts to 465 million euro, while Retele Electrice Dobrogea’s costs 402 million euro.

The financing would facilitate network upgrades aimed at enhancing service quality by minimising technological losses and boosting efficiencies. It would also expand network capacity, support the implementation of smart metering, and enhance cybersecurity measures.

The two DSO’s were previously owned by Italian energy group Enel and operated under the names E-Distributie Banat and Dobrogea. PPC acquired Enel’s assets in Romania for 1.24 billion euro, completing the takeover in October, 2023.

($=0.9316 euro)