Romania’s summer drought and Bulgarian storage
Romania’s energy system faced extreme pressure this summer when drought caused hydropower production to fall and forced both reactors at the Cernavoda nuclear plant to shut down. By mid-September 2026, the plant had been offline for about a month. This outage removed 20 per cent of the electricity normally produced in the country. While solar generation helped during the day, demand remained high in the evening when solar output fell. This lack of flexibility shows that Romania added renewable generation without enough attention to storage, grid upgrades, and market rules. The government even had to call on citizens to reduce consumption to ease the pressure. In Romania, efforts to encourage prosumers to discharge their batteries helped ease the pressure, but these moves also exposed how much flexibility was still missing from the system.
Bulgaria clearly offers a more efficient model, where the growth of solar power made battery investment attractive. Because Bulgaria committed more than 600 million euros from the EU’s Recovery and Resilience Facility, developers moved ahead with funding and clear deadlines to build a substantial battery fleet in only two years, despite repeated changes in government. By early September 2026, Bulgaria had 5.4 GW of battery capacity in operation. The expansion already narrows the price differences that attracted investors.
| Country | Capacity/Investment Metric | Context |
|---|---|---|
| Bulgaria | 5.4 GW battery capacity | Operational by early September 2026 |
| Bulgaria | 600 million euros | EU Recovery and Resilience Facility funds |
| Ukraine | 4.4 MW photovoltaic capacity | Ecoclub Solar Aid for Ukraine (86 sites) |
| Ukraine | 2,250 kWh battery capacity | Ecoclub Solar Aid for Ukraine (86 sites) |
Ukraine’s decentralized power model
Ukraine clearly shows the value of producing electricity closer to where people need it. After the attacks of spring 2024, nearly two-thirds of the country’s dispatchable generating capacity was occupied, damaged, or destroyed. By 2024, Ukraine had lost almost 90 per cent of its large coal and gas-fired power plant capacity, but it lost only 14 per cent of its installed solar capacity. Smaller, distributed installations have a smaller impact on the wider system when they fail and allow for quicker repairs.
I find the Ecoclub Solar Aid for Ukraine programme to be a successful example of this approach. The programme supports 86 installations with a combined capacity of 4.4 MW of photovoltaic modules and 2,250 kWh of battery capacity. For instance, an outpatient clinic in Horenka near Kyiv uses 12 kW of solar panels and an eight kWh battery to maintain power. This system has operated since January 2023 and includes a heat pump to reduce dependence on previous heating systems. Local authorities in Ukraine also need the people, knowledge, and planning capacity to decide where these investments are most useful and how they fit into longer-term reconstruction.
Necessary steps for Romania
Romania must give local energy projects a bigger role in its security planning. Hospitals and water utilities with solar panels and storage should become standard rather than exceptional. Most systems cannot continue operating during a blackout unless they have batteries and the equipment to disconnect from the grid. I recommend that local authorities receive more technical support and funding to develop these projects. District heating systems belong in this discussion because their pumps, controls, and other essential equipment also depend on a reliable electricity supply.
EU municipalities with more than 45,000 inhabitants must prepare local plans, but the effectiveness depends on how national governments translate these requirements into law. Romania also needs to invest in distribution networks to allow local electricity to move more effectively. Building more efficient buildings and equipment would reduce the pressure on the system.
