The development of the prosumer segment must be supported to cover own consumption, but its unlimited expansion generates significant costs in the market, of up to RON 372 for each MWh fed into the grid, costs that will ultimately be borne by consumers, Chairman of the Association of Energy Suppliers in Romania Lauren?iu Urluescu said on Monday at the release of a specialist study.
The association released the "Study on the evolution, regulatory framework and impact of prosumers on Romania's energy system," carried out by ASC Xlaed Business Hub SRL.
"Romania has recorded one of the fastest growths in the number of prosumers at European level. From 303 prosumers in 2019, it reached almost 300,000 at the beginning of 2026. The installed capacity increased from less than 5 MW to about 3,400 MW at the end of 2025, and the annual production generated reached about 4.5 TWh, makling up about 9% of Romania's total electricity production," according to the study.
With average annual growth rates of over 200% between 2022 and 2024, Romania has outpaced mature markets such as Germany, Spain and Italy.
"Of course, the increase in electricity prices was the main economic factor of the emergence and spectacular evolution of prosumers. But, according to the study, if we were to relate the additional costs of suppliers to the amount of electricity introduced into the grid by prosumers, we would get the additional cost per each MWh produced by them between RON 200 and RON 372 per MWh, a cost that is ultimately borne by consumers," said Urluescu.
On the other hand, he added that the existence of prosumers on the internal energy market has many beneficial effects.
"Prosumers contribute to the modernisation of the power grid by increasing the share of renewable energy; the potential to participate in balancing services through aggregation and storage; accelerating digitalisation and the adoption of new technologies. However, this impressive development has significantly disrupted business in the sector, especially because it has overlapped the effects of the energy crisis and the price cap. That is why we requested this study: in order to evaluate as best as possible what is happening in the market, what is happening with the distributed production, what conclusions are reached and, above all, what needs to be done in the future," said Urluescu.
In his opinion, "this trend cannot continue indefinitely, because the impact on the market will be increasingly greater."
"As you know the position of the association, all our proposals are to modify for the future, not for what is already installed, because we always consider that changing the rules during the game is unethical and unproductive and that is why we militate that any change that is necessary on the regulatory side to apply for future investments."
The study shows that the current regulatory model generates additional costs for providers and network operators, which are passed on, directly or indirectly, to non-prosumer consumers. Thus, estimates indicate an annual impact of tens of millions of euros for the situation in 2024, with a tendency to increase proportionally to the number of connected prosumers.
"One of the most controversial effects highlighted in the study is cross-subsidisation, through which the benefits granted to prosumers are supported by the other customers in the system. Given that the exemption from the payment of imbalances applies to installations up to 400 kW - the highest threshold in Europe - Romania is at the upper limit of the exemptions allowed by European legislation. In that respect, ACER's position is clear: prosumers must adequately contribute to the overall costs of the system (grid, system, imbalances), and exemptions should be limited to really small installations."
Distribution networks in Romania, initially designed for a unidirectional flow of energy, are now facing significant pressures generated by the rapid expansion of distributed production. The transformation has fundamentally changed the way the grid operates, introducing bidirectional flows and unprecedented technical challenges.
In this context, it becomes essential to adopt specific regulations that integrate all the components governing the activity of prosumers, in full alignment with the EU Renewable Energy Directive (RED III).
"The rapid integration of an increasing number of prosumers fundamentally changes the way the national energy grid operates. In order for this transformation to remain sustainable in the long term, uniform regulation is necessary that correlates the decarbonisation objectives with the stability of the energy grid and the electricity market", said Urluescu.
According to the study, the accelerated growth in the number of prosumers in Romania has produced significant changes in the energy market, with direct effects on its functioning and on the activity of suppliers.
"The development undoubtedly contributes to achieving the objectives of the energy transition, but the scale and pace of growth require an adaptation of the regulatory framework so that it is consistent, fair and sustainable for all participants in the energy system."
The study analyses the dynamics of the prosumer segment in Romania, their impact on the energy grid and the current regulatory framework, providing examples of good practices and technical and business recommendations.
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