DRI, the renewable energy arm of Ukrainian energy company DTEK, has increased its operational renewable generation capacity in Romania to 299 MW following approval for commercial operation of its new 126 MW Vacaresti solar project.
Romania’s national energy regulator granted the operating license for the facility located in Dambovita County, officially allowing full-scale electricity production at the site. The commissioning of the Vacaresti solar plant represents another important milestone in DRI’s ongoing expansion within Romania’s renewable energy market.
According to company estimates, the solar facility will generate enough electricity annually to meet the energy needs of approximately 50,000 households across Romania. The project is also expected to support climate objectives by reducing carbon dioxide emissions by around 48,600 tons per year.
Development of the project was financed through funding of up to 60 million euros arranged by UniCredit and Garanti BBVA under a non-recourse financing structure.
Starting in January 2027, half of the electricity generated by the Vacaresti solar plant will be supplied to OMV Petrom under a long-term physical power purchase agreement. DRI described the arrangement as the largest solar electricity agreement of its kind signed in Romania to date.
The Vacaresti project becomes DRI’s fourth fully operational renewable energy asset in the country. The company’s Romanian renewable portfolio already includes the Glodeni I and Glodeni II solar plants, as well as the 60 MW Ruginoasa wind farm, which became notable as Romania’s first newly constructed wind project in a decade.
In addition to expanding renewable electricity generation, DRI has also announced plans to strengthen its presence in Romania through future investments in battery energy storage systems, reflecting the growing importance of energy flexibility and grid stability in the European clean energy transition.
