ANRE launched for public consultation a draft Order ("the Draft Order") to amend ANRE Order no. 53/2024 approving the Methodology on allocating electricity grid capacity for connecting electricity generation facilities, as well as amending specific ANRE orders related to the connection of users to the electricity grid ("the Methodology").
For context, the Methodology requires the transmission and system operator (OST) to carry out, between 16 March and 15 June 2026, a global solution study to determine the additional grid development works needed to ensure the capacity required for allocation requests for power generation/power use and generation facilities ("the Facilities").
This study aims to establish the total estimated value of the additional grid development works, which, in turn, is used to determine the starting price of the tender, which should be organised from 1 July 2026.
According to the Explanatory Note, OST was unable to procure the services needed to complete the global study in time, making it impossible to establish the tender's starting price. Therefore, the timeframe set in the Methodology must be postponed.
In addition, operators in the energy market raised concerns about inconsistencies in the procedure for handling connection requests submitted before 1 January 2026.
For the reasons outlined above, ANRE proposes amending ANRE Order no. 53/2024, as well as the Methodology, as follows:
► Requests to which the Methodology applies
Starting 1st of January 2026, the Methodology will apply to:
▸ Connection requests and capacity allocation requests for Facilities with an installed capacity of at least 5 MW, submitted to grid operators from that date onwards;
▸ Connection requests for Facilities with an installed capacity of at least 5 MW submitted before 1 January 2026, for which solution studies required for the issuance of the operator's approval were not submitted to network operators by 31 December 2025. In this case, the network operator must reimburse the costs incurred in preparing the solution studies to the users with whom it concluded agreements for drafting the solution studies.
▸ Connection requests for Facilities with an installed capacity of at least 5 MW submitted before 1 January 2026 for which technical connection permits were not issued by 31 March 2026.
The provisions of the Regulation on connecting users to public electricity grid, approved by ANRE Order no. 59/2013 - regarding the connection solution with operational limitation, the general strengthening works, and the recalculation of operating regimes during energisation for the testing period when the request for energising the user's installation for the testing period was submitted to the network operator by the applicant before the completion of the general strengthening works - do not apply to the connection of Facilities with an installed capacity of at least 5 MW to which the provisions of the Methodology apply.
► New timeline proposed in the Draft
31 March 2026 - the deadline for OST to publish the list of available electric grid capacities;
30 April 2026 - users submit capacity allocation requests;
11 May 2026 - distribution operators forward allocation requests to OST;
15 May 2026 - OST finalises the list of capacity allocation requests;
14 August 2026 - completion of the global solution study and publication of results;
20 August 2026 - tender organisation and publication of the list of tender participants.
► Other amendments of interest included in the Draft Order
A clarification is introduced stating that the Methodology does not apply to power requests for energy consumption related to Facilities with an installed capacity of at least 5 MW.
A new provision is proposed stating that additional development works whose value is covered by the Methodology cannot be considered general strengthening works, chargeable to users, for Installations with installed capacities below 5 MW.
For more information, visit the ANRE website here.
