DRI Acquires 126 MW Solar Power Project in Romania
Renewable energy company DRI has acquired its third project in Romania, a 126 MW solar farm in Văcărești, Dâmbovița county. The solar farm is set to become operational next year.
DRI, the renewable energy arm of DTEK Group in the European Union, purchased the photovoltaic project, which is expected to produce 205.8 GWh of electricity annually. This new solar park in Văcărești will double the company’s operational capacity in Romania.
DRI aims to reach a capacity of 1 GW in Romania by 2028. The company acquired the project from local developers.
Earlier this year, DRI began operations at its 53 MW solar farm in Glodeni, Mureș county, and a 60 MW wind farm in Ruginoasa, Iași county. The Ruginoasa facility is notable as the first wind farm built in Romania in the past decade.
The construction of the Văcărești solar park will start in autumn 2024 and is expected to be completed by the following autumn. The estimated annual production from the park is enough to meet the average consumption of 50,000 households. Additionally, the PV plant is projected to save 48,600 tons of carbon emissions per year, reflecting the footprint of the EU’s power sector in 2022.
The local developers have already secured the land, grid connection, and necessary permits for the project. DRI, based in the Netherlands, plans to add value through its engineering expertise, supply chain, construction management, and flexible capital structure.
“The Văcărești project demonstrates DRI’s ambition to become a significant player in Romania,” said CEO John Stuart. “We believe Romania has the potential to become a renewable energy hub. The new contract-for-difference scheme encourages companies like DRI to continue investing and help unlock Romania’s solar and wind energy potential.”
Besides Romania, DRI is active in other European countries. In Croatia, DRI is developing the Brda Umovi wind farm with a capacity of 127.5 MW and plans to add 29 MW in its second stage. It is also working on the Vedrine solar park with a peak capacity of 60 MW, both near Split in Dalmatia. DRI, which stands for DTEK Renewables International, is also active in Italy and Poland.