Delgaz Grid invested 171 million euros in gas and electricity networks in 2024

Delgaz Grid, the distribution company of the E.ON Romania group, made investments of over 846 million lei (about 171 million euros) in natural gas and electricity distribution networks last year, and for the current year it has planned a record amount of 250 million euros, over 46 percent more than in 2024.

Supported by its own sources and attracted European funds, the investments made in 2024 were over 90 percent higher than the annual average of the 2010-2019 period (90 million euros/year).

Investments of over 356 million lei (72 million euros) were recorded in natural gas distribution, with 365 km of gas pipelines and connections being modernized. The distribution network was extended by 459 km, connecting almost 35,000 new consumers. At the same time, in partnership with local authorities, natural gas distribution stations were established in 10 localities in the counties of Iași, Bacău, Arad and Sibiu, over a length of 68 kilometers, following total investments of approximately 16.5 million lei.

12 natural gas regulation and metering stations were modernized in the counties of Bacău, Cluj, Mureș, Neamț, Sălaj, Satu Mare and Timiș, which led to the improvement of the quality of the distribution service for consumers in the served areas.

Also last year, the conclusions of the “20HyGrid” pilot project were presented, through which the technical feasibility of supplying homes with a mixture of natural gas (80 percent) and hydrogen (20 percent) through the current natural gas infrastructure was tested, both in laboratory conditions and in the field, in order to identify a solution for the partial decarbonization of the heating sector.

On the electricity side, investments of over 490 million lei (99 million euros) were made, the length of the modernized network being over 2,000 km. At the same time, the network was extended by 453 km, with over 22,000 new consumers connected.

More than 90 percent of the steps towards the digitalization of the distribution network have been completed and the full implementation of the ADMS (Advanced Distribution Management System) platform is very close to being completed. ADMS integrates into a single digital platform the functionalities required for the operational control, programming and operational planning processes of high, medium and low voltage electrical distribution networks, up to the consumer level.

Smart metering: The MDM/MDC digital platform (Measurement Data Management/Data Collection Management), with a capacity to integrate 1,600,000 meters, became operational. At the end of 2024, over half a million (516,000) smart meters were already installed and integrated into the platform.

124 transformer stations out of the 133 operated by Delgaz Grid are integrated into SCADA (Supervisory Data Acquisition and Control), as well as over 600 automated transformer stations in the urban area. We also reached over 1,900 remote-controlled equipment integrated into SCADA (disconnectors and reclosers) installed in medium voltage overhead networks.

As a result of the investments made year after year, the main performance indicators of the distribution service, SAIDI and SAIFI, have been significantly improved in the last 10 years. Thus, SAIDI (indicator of the duration of interruptions) decreased almost sixfold, reaching 69.81 minutes in 2024 from 410.24 minutes in 2014, and SAIFI (indicator of the number of interruptions) decreased about eightfold, reaching 0.77 last year from 5.98 in 2014.

The results obtained placed Delgaz Grid in 2021, 2022 and 2023 in first place, with the shortest duration of interruptions in the electricity supply, among distribution operators in Romania, according to ANRE reports.

Investments 2025

For the current year, the Delgaz Grid company has set itself the goal of investing, from its own sources and EU funds, a record amount of 1.265 billion lei (250 million euros), over 46 percent more than in 2024.

Natural gas – investments of over 560 million lei (111 million euros) are planned. Natural gas pipelines and connections will be modernized over a length of 450 km. At the same time, to improve the quality of service, 14 regulation and metering stations will be modernized. The development of the natural gas distribution system and the connection of new consumers is another priority, with funds provided for this year to expand the network by over 140 km.

Electricity – investments of 703 million lei (139 million euros) are planned, of which over 187 million lei (37 million euros) represent EU funds. The investments aim to continue implementing SCADA and automating the distribution system, SMART metering, modernizing overhead networks, substations and transformation stations, expanding the distribution network to connect new consumers, as well as meeting the requirements of the performance standard.

Projects with European funds – at this moment there are 14 projects with signed financing contracts, in various implementation phases, with a total value of 401.7 million euros, of which 307 million euros are European financing. Also, 14 projects are under evaluation, with a total value of 424.9 million euros, of which 330.1 million euros are European financing. The amounts necessary for co-financing come from own sources, but also from a 200 million euro loan contracted in November last year from the European Investment Bank.

Smart metering – In total, Delgaz Grid will install, in the next five years, about one million smart meters to its customers in Moldova, which means that 85 percent of consumers will benefit from smart energy metering systems by the end of 2029.