Stand-alone battery storage: 150 million euro from the Modernisation Fund, deadline 30 October

The Ministry of Energy has opened a call worth 150 million euro from the Modernisation Fund. The money funds new stand-alone battery installations for storing electricity, connected to the transmission or distribution grid. Enterprises of any size whose articles of association include activities under CAEN division 35 can apply. The aid covers up to 100% of eligible costs, capped at 69,000 euro per MWh installed and 15 million euro per enterprise. Applications must be submitted in MySMIS2021 by 30 October 2026, 14:00.

In brief

• Programme: Modernisation Fund, Key Programme 1: Renewable energy sources and energy storage
• Authority: Ministry of Energy
• Beneficiaries: micro-enterprises, SMEs and large enterprises, including newly established companies, with activities under CAEN division 35
• Total budget: the lei equivalent of 150,000,000 euro
• Value per project / intensity: up to 100% of eligible costs, a maximum of 69,000 euro per MWh of storage installed and a maximum of 15,000,000 euro per enterprise, however many projects it submits
• Submission period: from 1 September 2026, 12:00, to 30 October 2026, 14:00, in MySMIS2021
• Status: call open, competitive tendering procedure

Who can apply?

Companies of any size whose articles of association include electricity generation and sale activities, i.e. CAEN division 35, can apply. Newly established enterprises are also included, provided they have a subscribed and paid-up share capital of at least 100,000 lei. The applicant must be registered with the ONRC (Trade Register) in Romania no later than the signing of the funding contract.

Projects can only be submitted individually, without partnerships. A company may submit several projects, but the total aid requested cannot exceed 15 million euro. The guide also requires proof of financial capacity. The ratio of total debt to equity must be positive and below 7.5 in the last two financial years. Newly established companies and those that do not meet this criterion submit a comfort letter from a bank or a non-bank financial institution.

Which projects and costs are eligible?

The call funds the construction of new, stand-alone battery storage installations that meet the conditions below:

• they have an installed capacity of at least 1 MW. If the project comprises several aggregated installations, each must have at least 1 MW;
• they have a capacity-to-power ratio of at least 2:1 (MWh/MW), meaning they can run for at least two hours at installed power;
• they have their own grid connection and dedicated metering, and are not integrated with a generation or consumption site.

Two activities are eligible: the purchase of new installations and equipment, and the construction works that form part of the storage project. Operating costs are not eligible.

The guide explicitly excludes:

• combined projects, i.e. renewable generation plus storage;
• lead, NiCd or NiMH batteries;
• the replacement of older storage installations;
• projects submitted in partnership.

How is selection carried out and how long does implementation take?

The call runs as a competitive tendering procedure, so not on a "first come, first served" basis. Applications are ranked by their score in the technical and economic evaluation grid (Annex 2.2 to the guide). The amount of aid requested, expressed in euro per MWh of storage installed, is the selection criterion. In short, whoever asks for less per MWh has a competitive advantage.

The investment must be completed and put into operation within 48 months of signing the contract. Commissioning is proven by the grid connection certificate. If the deadline is missed, the beneficiary owes penalties of 0.01% per day of the aid value, plus the BNR (National Bank of Romania) policy rate interest. Cases of force majeure are the exception.

Which documents are critical and when must they be submitted?

Submission is exclusively through MySMIS2021 (https://mysmis2021.gov.ro/), by 30 October 2026, 14:00. Projects submitted outside the period are automatically rejected, and all correspondence is conducted through the platform only. The feasibility study, in searchable PDF format, must be attached to the application. In addition, the file must contain:

• the project budget (Annex 7);
• the single declaration;
• the declaration on the DNSH principle;
• the decision approving the project and the co-financing;
• proof of the right in rem over the land or the steps taken to obtain it, the land register extract and the urban planning certificate.

For land, renting, real estate leasing and loan for use (comodat) are not accepted.

The technical connection approval (ATR) is not mandatory when submitting the application. However, it must be presented no later than the first payment claim, otherwise the contract is terminated.

What this means for your business

Our recommendation: if your company does not already have land secured, an urban planning certificate and an advanced feasibility study, the roughly five weeks remaining are very little. The call suits above all energy developers and producers who already have projects in preparation and the capacity to co-finance or access bank credit.

The pitfalls we see most often:

• Starting works before submission. A firm equipment order signed before the application is submitted excludes the project. Because of the incentive effect, this pitfall also applies if the project is not selected.
• Changes after submission. If the shareholding, the site or the storage capacity changes between submission and contracting, the application is rejected.
• Bidding too high. The budget is limited, and ranking depends on the aid requested per MWh. It is worth calculating carefully the minimum aid that keeps the project profitable, rather than automatically requesting the cap of 69,000 euro/MWh.
• No CAEN 35 code in the articles of association. Check it now. An amendment at the ONRC takes time, and the certificate of incumbency submitted must be issued no more than 30 days before the application is submitted.

For an initial check of whether you qualify, you can use the eligibility check. You will also find details about the programme on the Modernisation Fund — stand-alone battery storage installations page.

Frequently asked questions

Can a newly established company apply?

Yes. The guide admits newly established enterprises, provided they have a subscribed and paid-up share capital of at least 100,000 lei and activities under CAEN division 35 in their articles of association. If the company does not meet the solvency criterion, it submits a bank comfort letter.

Can I combine batteries with a photovoltaic park in the same project?

No. Combined renewable generation and storage projects are not eligible. The funded installation must be stand-alone, with its own grid connection, and cannot be integrated with a generation or consumption site.

What is the maximum aid I can receive?

The aid can cover up to 100% of eligible costs. It cannot exceed 69,000 euro per MWh of storage installed, nor 15,000,000 euro per enterprise, regardless of the number of projects. Conversion into lei is made at the InforEuro rate set in the guide: 1 euro = 5.2434 lei.

Do I need the technical connection approval when I submit?

No. The ATR is not mandatory at submission, pre-contracting or contracting. However, it must be presented by the first payment claim, otherwise the contract is terminated.

What happens if the budget is not fully used?

According to the guide, the Ministry of Energy will organise a new competitive tendering procedure for the unused amount, until the allocated budget is exhausted. The date of such a call has not been announced.

Official sources

• Ministry of Energy – stand-alone battery storage call page
• Call launch announcement (PDF)
• Applicant's guide approved by OME no. 915/2026, Official Gazette no. 680 bis/17.08.2026 (PDF)

Information checked on 26 September 2026. Conditions may be amended by the managing authority — check the guide in force before submitting.