Transelectrica marked the inauguration of the STATCOM (Static Synchronous Compensator) installation at the Sibiu Sud Electrical Substation, completing the investment project financed through the Modernisation Fund.
With a total value of approximately RON 260 million, the project received RON 254.65 million in non-reimbursable funding from the Modernisation Fund. The investment was fully completed in August 2026, ahead of the deadline stipulated in the financing agreement, namely May 2027.
“The security of Romania’s National Power System is built through investments that directly address the challenges facing an electricity grid undergoing continuous transformation. The completion of this project demonstrates our ability to manage grid fluctuations more efficiently, reduce the risk of instability and strengthen the Electricity Transmission Network. At the same time, this investment creates the optimal conditions to respond to increasingly complex operating requirements. The final result is the outcome of sustained efforts, the expertise of our specialists and continuity in delivering strategic projects for Romania—from the moment this idea was conceived to the point at which the completed installations were made available to the National Energy Dispatch Centre,” said Ștefăniță Munteanu, Chairman of Transelectrica’s Executive Board.
The project involved the installation of two modern STATCOM reactive power compensation systems, each with a rated capacity of ±150 MVAr, at the Sibiu Sud and Bradu electrical substations. Together, the two installations form a reactive power compensation system unique within Romania’s Electricity Transmission Network, designed to respond rapidly to changes in grid parameters and support the safe and stable operation of the National Power System, including under low-demand conditions.
STATCOM technology helps increase transmission capacity under secure operating conditions, reduce the risk of instability and optimise grid operation during congestion, rapid changes in electricity demand and other challenging operating conditions.
The investment addresses key needs of today’s energy system: increasing the operational flexibility of the grid, strengthening its resilience and facilitating the integration of renewable energy sources, whose variable output places additional demands on balancing and controlling operating parameters.
The engineering and construction contract was signed on 16 August 2023, with the works carried out by the Siemens Energy SRL–Electromontaj SA consortium. Both installations were energised and commissioned ahead of their contractual deadlines: the Sibiu Sud installation in December 2025 and the Bradu installation in May 2026.
The full completion of the project reaffirms Transelectrica’s commitment to accelerating the modernisation of the Electricity Transmission Network through the implementation of advanced technological solutions that directly enhance the operational security of Romania’s National Power System.