The Ministry of European Investments and Projects (MIPE) signed, in January 2022, 6 financing contracts worth over 345 million lei, for projects to improve energy efficiency submitted under the Large Infrastructure Operational Program.

The main beneficiary is the Municipality of Constanța, with a total financing value of 231.5 million lei, in two contracts for the rehabilitation of 21.6 km (43.2 km of pipes) from the city’s thermal network.

Distributie Energie Oltenia SA has a contract of 43.46 million lei for the modernization of the electricity distribution network and the increase of the distribution capacity of the 110 / 20kv Caracal Vest transformer station for the evacuation of the electricity produced by CETs. With 28.5 million lei, DELGAZ GRID will modernize transformer stations in order to take over the electricity produced from renewable resources at Siret, Bucecea, Dorohoi stations.

The municipality of Botosani will receive almost 43 million lei for the rehabilitation of the district heating system, and Romcarbon will use 1.1 million lei for the implementation of an intelligent system for monitoring energy consumption within the company.

MIPE aims to attract 1.8 billion euros through POIM this year, said Cristian Roman, secretary of state at MIPE. In total, in January, 95 financing contracts were signed in a cumulative amount of 530 million lei. Most projects will provide financial support to limit the spread of the COVID-19 pandemic to schools and hospitals.

In the first month of the year, Romania made payments of almost 700 million lei to the beneficiaries of the POIM. Since 2016, the total value of these payments exceeds 24.6 billion lei.