In brief

  • The Ministry of Energy amended the Applicant’s Guide for supporting investments in new renewable electricity generation capacity for self-consumption, financed from the Modernisation Fund (second call, competitive bidding procedure).
  • The amendment introduces, across nine different points of the guide and its annexes, a single, firm deadline: project completion (installation, commissioning, grid connection) cannot go beyond 31 December 2028.
  • The annual expenditure plan table is also updated, now extended through 2028, to reflect the new implementation deadline.
Act: Order of the acting Minister of Energy No. 766/2026
Published: Official Gazette of Romania (Monitorul Oficial) No. 640 of 3 August 2026
Issued: 24 July 2026

The Ministry of Energy amended the Applicant’s Guide for the support scheme dedicated to investments in new renewable electricity generation capacity for self-consumption, financed from the Modernisation Fund, under the second call based on a competitive bidding procedure. Order No. 766/2026, published in Official Gazette of Romania No. 640 of 3 August 2026, amends Order of the Minister of Energy No. 539/2025, which had originally approved the guide.

The amendment, applied across nine distinct points of the guide and its annexes (Chapters 1 and 2, Annexes 1.a, 2.1, 3, 5 and 7), consistently introduces a single deadline for project completion: 31 December 2028. The deadline applies both to the physical completion of the investment (installation, commissioning, grid connection) and to the eligibility period for expenses and the project’s annual expenditure plan, now explicitly extended through 2028.

What it changes in practice

For companies and individuals/legal entities submitting or having submitted funding applications under the second competitive bidding call for renewable self-consumption, the amendment unambiguously clarifies the deadline by which the investment must be completed and commissioned: 31 December 2028, regardless of when the funding application was filed.

For expenses eligible for reimbursement from the Modernisation Fund, the eligibility period remains between the date the funding application is filed with the Ministry of Energy and the project’s completion date, but can under no circumstances exceed 31 December 2028. Preparatory activities (pre-feasibility/feasibility studies, technical design, land acquisition) may take place before the application is filed, but are not eligible for reimbursement.

What has changed compared with the previous situation

  • A firm, unified deadline of 31 December 2028 is introduced for investment completion, at all relevant points of the guide and its annexes, replacing previous, less explicit wording.
  • Table 5 of Annex 7 is updated (the annual expenditure plan), now extended over 2023-2028, to reflect the new deadline.
  • The beneficiary’s obligation is clarified (Annex 3) to secure funding from other legally established sources if the project is not fully completed by 31 December 2028.

Advantages and disadvantages

What it improves

  • Provides predictability to applicants: a single deadline, applied uniformly across all relevant sections of the guide, removes ambiguity from previously mentioned differing dates.
  • Extends the budget planning horizon through 2028, giving investors more time for complex renewable capacity projects.
  • Keeps alignment with EU state aid rules (Regulation (EU) No. 651/2014), explicitly cited in the order.

What remains a problem

  • Applicants who fail to complete their project by 31 December 2028 must secure funding from other sources for the unfinished part, under Annex 3, an additional financial risk.
  • The order does not extend the funding call itself, only the implementation deadline for projects already selected or under selection.
  • Expenses incurred before the funding application is filed remain ineligible for reimbursement, even if necessary for project preparation.

Practical advice

  1. If you have a project funded under this call, check your implementation schedule so that installation, commissioning and grid connection are completed no later than 31 December 2028.
  2. For eligible expenses, note that the eligibility period starts on the date the funding application is filed with the Ministry of Energy, not on the date preparatory works began.
  3. If you risk not completing the project on time, identify alternative, legally established funding sources early, as required by Annex 3 of the guide.
  4. Consult the consolidated Applicant’s Guide, approved by Order No. 539/2025 and amended by this order, for the full text of all updated sections.

Frequently asked questions

What does Order No. 766/2026 amend?
It amends the Applicant’s Guide for supporting investments in new renewable electricity generation capacity for self-consumption, under the second competitive bidding call of the Modernisation Fund, originally approved by Order of the Minister of Energy No. 539/2025.
What is the new deadline for completing projects?
31 December 2028, consistently applied across nine different points of the guide and its annexes, both for the physical completion of the investment and for expense eligibility.
Which expenses are eligible for reimbursement?
Those incurred and paid between the date the funding application is filed with the Ministry of Energy and the project’s completion date, but no later than 31 December 2028. Preparatory expenses (studies, technical design, land purchase) made before filing the application are not eligible.
What happens if a project is not completed by 31 December 2028?
Under Annex 3 of the guide, the beneficiary must secure from other legally established funding sources the money needed to complete the project.
Who issued the order and when does it enter into force?
It was issued by the acting Minister of Energy on 24 July 2026, and enters into force on the date of publication in the Official Gazette of Romania, under Article II of the order.

Original text of the legal act

The text below is reproduced in Romanian, the official form of publication.

The full text, as published in the Official Gazette of Romania

Official Gazette of Romania no. 640 of 3 August 2026 32 pages PDF, 205 KB the act starts on page 31

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This article is for informational purposes only and does not constitute legal advice. For specific situations, consult a licensed attorney or tax advisor.