INTERVIEW Viorel Tudose, CEO Getica 95: “We want to develop 400-500 MW in energy storage units by 2026”

“The most important objective for us is the development of energy storage projects. By December 2026, we must have at least 400-500 MW in operation. We absolutely must do these projects by the end of next year, otherwise we will not be able to remain in the market,” Viorel Tudose, CEO Getica 95 told The Diplomat-Bucharest.

“We hope that in February 2026 we will have the first 100 MW storage unit, which will be in the center of the country. We want to become an important player, especially in terms of balancing the national energy system.”

How did Getica 95 evolve in 2024 in terms of market share and customer portfolio?

After emerging from insolvency in August 2023, most customers returned to our portfolio. Many customers want to come back to us, but from a financial point of view, you can no longer have the same portfolio as before entering insolvency because banks are very reluctant and no longer finance you. In addition, we still have to get a lot of money from the state for the energy price cap scheme, about 150 million lei to recover.

If we talk about 2024, we are still talking about a regulated market, not a free market, and the capping mechanism has been extended by another 3 months until July 1. I don’t even want to think about another possible extension of the capping scheme. This current legislation forces you to make losses and that is why in 2024 our development was hampered, and we had to refuse many customers.

We are specialists in supplying energy to water companies. We have 34 out of 42 water companies in Romania in our portfolio.

We want to invest in 400-500 MW storage units, but financing sources are completely lacking now. The investment budget for 2024 was approximately 100-120 million euros. We have ongoing projects; we are in advanced negotiations with several companies.

We hope that in February 2026 we will have the first 100 MW storage unit, which will be in the center of the country.

What digitalization or process modernization projects have you implemented to improve customer relations and operational efficiency? 

The most important aspect is the consolidation of the trust capital that we had before the company entered insolvency. Our trust capital increased greatly after that rapid exit from insolvency with full payment of debts. This trust capital must be developed and consolidated, we must have very good communication with partners and clients.

I believe that there is poor communication of projects that are implemented at the national level, in various fields. Human capital is increasingly less and less prepared in terms of communication.

We want long-term partnerships, and I believe that only such partnerships bring us benefits. We have clients who have been with us for over 10 years. Currently, we have 26,000 consumption places, with about 2,000 clients.

An important project for us was the implementation of the NIS 2 directive. I believe that we are currently one of the most performing suppliers in Romania, we have implemented the NIS 1 and NIS 2 directives 100%. Data protection is very good.

How would you characterize the first half of the year compared to the second half of 2024? 

The energy market, but also other markets, are emotional markets. People get scared easily. The capping period is coming to an end, and many “specialists” have appeared who spread manipulative information.

The costs of capping in Romania are very high, and with this money we could have built a power plant, either gas or nuclear, of up to 1,000 MW that would have brought added value. The capping represents a lot of wasted money that produces nothing.

There must be better education of consumers, of prosumers in the energy market, because we will all have something to gain: consumers, the private environment and the state.

The extension of the energy price cap by 3 months has created a sense of confidence among energy suppliers. It is very difficult to make a comparison between the first semester of 2025 and the second semester of 2024, because we had different expectations regarding the evolution of prices and the market.

We need more education regarding the energy sector in Romania. Why? The world does not understand, for example, what can happen in the context of an energy blackout. Are we or are we not prepared to face an energy blackout? What happened in Spain and Portugal has shown us that this scenario is possible.

Green energy is cleaner, but it does not provide us with the stability we had before and now it is very difficult to balance the energy system not only in Romania, but also in Europe. We need to have a coherent strategy, and we can no longer afford to make mistakes.

What solutions are there to improve the functioning of the energy system in the near future?

If we want to have a national project in the medium and long term, an energy strategy must be made for at least 20-25 years. Think that a hydroelectric power plant can be retrofitted in 6-7 years.

We must have a balanced energy mix, and we must explain to the European Commission that each country has its own characteristics, and this specific energy mix must be adapted to European needs. This energy mix must allow for a sustainable energy price. The transition from conventional energy to green energy must be gradual. At the same time, we must consider what we will do with renewable energy at the end of the life of wind and photovoltaic parks. How will we recycle and what will the recycling costs be?

Romania’s energy strategy is wrong, in my opinion, but it can be improved and adapted to the current needs of the energy market. If we have continuity and discipline, the strategy can work, and we can have results.

We need to set realistic and achievable goals and stop wasting resources. Hydrogen is an example of technology for which we have consumed a lot of resources and human capital to conclude that projects are not feasible.

We need to look at the costs of human capital, not just the financial losses when a project is not completed. Human capital is much more important than financial capital.

What should be Romania’s priorities regarding the energy sector?

First, we need to eliminate the cap and have a free market again. Then, we need to evaluate the national energy system, the entire infrastructure very well.

We need to set our priorities and then start building solid foundations. We need investments in production, transport, and distribution.

What are the objectives and priorities of Getica 95 for 2025 and 2026? 

The most important objective is the development of energy storage projects. By December 2026, we must have at least 400-500 MW in operation. We absolutely must do these projects by the end of next year, otherwise we will not be able to remain in the market.

We want to become an important player, especially in terms of balancing the national energy system. With a market share of 5-6%, I think we are quite well positioned. We want to implement viable solutions that help the national energy system. From a technical point of view, I believe that we are the best energy supplier in Romania.

For storage projects, we work with both local and foreign companies. We are trying to see several models to evaluate the efficiency of each project. We have 6 projects with 6 different partners and in the end, we will see which is the project with the best efficiency.