Transelectrica, Romania’s national transmission system operator, signed on Friday, May 22, 2026, as a project partner, the financing agreement for the “Smart Grid” CARMEN Project, with a total value of approximately 207 million euros. The agreement was concluded alongside the project initiator Delgaz Grid SA—the electricity and natural gas distribution company part of the E.ON group in Romania—and ESO, the Bulgarian electricity transmission operator, also acting as a partner.
The contract was signed with representatives of the European Climate, Infrastructure and Environment Executive Agency, in the presence of high-level officials from the European Commission.
From the total project value of around 207 million euros, approximately 104 million euros is provided through European funding under the European Commission’s “Connecting Europe Facility” (CEF), a program dedicated to Projects of Common Interest. The remaining funding will be covered by the three partners from their own resources.
- Delgaz Grid SA: €77.5 million total, of which nearly €39 million is EU non-reimbursable funding
- Transelectrica SA: €70.7 million total, of which about €35.4 million is EU non-reimbursable funding
- ESO: €59.3 million total, of which €29.6 million is EU non-reimbursable funding
The signing ceremony took place in Copenhagen, on the sidelines of the 12th edition of the Energy Infrastructure Forum held between May 21–22, one of Europe’s most important events dedicated to energy infrastructure. The moment carried special significance, marking European-level recognition of the project’s strategic importance for the region’s energy future.
“CARMEN is the first Project of Common Interest in the Smart Grids thematic area to receive funding for the development and modernization of transport and distribution networks in Romania. We have taken a very important step in implementing this strategic project for both our companies and the energy systems of the two countries. The project will directly contribute to increasing the capacity of networks to integrate decentralized energy production. In this way, we support renewable energy producers, future prosumers, and end consumers of electricity alike,” said Volker Raffel, Chairman of the Board of Directors of Delgaz Grid SA.
“The acquisition of European funding for the CARMEN project confirms the importance of developing smart energy infrastructure at regional and European level. For Transelectrica, this project represents a step toward accelerating the digitalization of the electricity transmission network, increasing renewable energy integration capacity, and strengthening energy security. Through close cooperation between transmission and distribution operators in Romania and Bulgaria, we are jointly contributing to a more flexible, resilient, and better-prepared interconnected grid for the challenges of the energy transition. I congratulate all those who made this project technically possible, as well as those who secured this funding,” stated Ștefăniță Munteanu, President of the Directorate of Transelectrica SA.
The Project of Common Interest CARMEN aims to develop a smart electricity transmission and distribution network to improve service quality for customers and ensure investments that meet mandatory performance standards through modernization and digitalization of energy infrastructure.
Key objectives include:
- Modernization and digitalization of transmission and distribution networks to increase stability and capacity for integrating renewable energy sources (RES)
- Improving cross-border cooperation between Romanian and Bulgarian energy markets by removing grid congestion and increasing interconnection capacity
- Increasing flexibility, stability, and security of electricity supply through advanced smart grid solutions such as Dynamic Line Rating (DLR), FACTS devices, and real-time monitoring systems
- Strengthening coordination between transmission system operators (TSOs) and distribution operators (DSOs) through digital platforms and data exchange systems to improve voltage regulation, congestion management, and system operation
- Supporting EU climate and energy goals by contributing to decarbonization, energy efficiency, and the development of a resilient future-ready power system
Within the CARMEN project, investments will be implemented across six counties in Romania where Delgaz Grid SA operates its electricity distribution network: Bacău, Botoșani, Iași, Neamț, Suceava, and Vaslui. These investments will focus on modernization, automation, and digitalization of the electricity distribution infrastructure.