OMV Petrom Awards EPCC for Romania Solar Project

OMV Petrom has awarded the engineering, design, procurement, execution, and commissioning (EPCC) contract for its Ișalnița solar project, located in Ișalnița commune, Dolj county. The company selected an association of Romanian companies Actual Connect S.R.L., Global Technical Systems S.A., Bit Invest S.R.L., and Alpin Sun S.R.L. following a competitive selection process.

The consortium brings the shared experience of over 700 megawatts (MW) of installed capacity of photovoltaic systems in Belgium, the Netherlands, Germany, Austria, Hungary, and Romania.

OMV Petrom said in a media release the contract includes the construction of a photovoltaic park and a 110-kilovolt power station for connection to the grid, as well as operation and maintenance for two years from commissioning.

"The signing of this contract marks a significant moment for our company, the start of the actual construction of the first large photovoltaic project fully developed by OMV Petrom. This project underlines our commitment to the renewable energy sector and demonstrates our ability to be leaders in the energy transition in Romania", Franck Neel, OMV Petrom Executive Board Member responsible for Gas & Power, said.

OMV Petrom took the final investment decision on the Ișalnița photovoltaic project last June, making it the first large-scale photovoltaic project fully developed by the company. It will have an installed capacity of approximately 89 MW peak and an annual production of approximately 130 gigawatt hours (GWh). The company expects completion and commissioning in the first half of 2026.

The project is part of OMV Petrom's objective of achieving a 2.5 GW portfolio of renewable energy projects in collaboration with partners. The photovoltaic power plant in Ișalnița has the potential to create significant synergies with other existing projects in the portfolio, thereby enhancing the reliability of electricity supply from renewable sources, the company said.

Additionally, under Romania's National Recovery and Resilience Plan (PNRR) project call, OMV Petrom has proposed a project to establish a battery energy storage system with a capacity of 36 MWh and a grid power injection of 18 MW. If the initiative is successful, this system will be installed at the Ișalnița site, the company said.

To contact the author, email andreson.n.paul@gmail.com