An error risks blocking 1.1 billion euros for the energy transition of Romania

According to a warning issued by the European Business Leaders organization, there is a critical situation that can lead to a systemic blockage in implementing two of the most important investments within the C16 – Repowereu component.

Funds in danger include:

• Scheme i4: Vouchers for the installation of renewable energy capacities in individual households, with a total allocation of 610.76 million euros, which includes two stages:

  • I4a: EUR 10,000 vouchers for the installation of photovoltaic panels (stage 1 in progress, with a budget of EUR 300 million);

  • I4b: EUR 5,000 vouchers for the purchase of batteries (with a budget of EUR 100 million);

  • The second stage of the I4B call is to be opened with a budget of about 210 million EUR.

• Scheme i7: Vouchers for improving the energy efficiency of housing (total allocation: 559.65 million EUR).

The problems arose due to an erroneous interpretation of the scoring methodology from the applicant’s guide for the I4B call. According to the organization, at least eight companies with eligible projects have been deposited abusively, based on a wrong mathematical formula. According to the guide, the C/D financial report should be capped at the value of 1, not to cancel the score, as it happened.

This error has led to placing these companies on the waiting list, which prevents them from benefiting from the vouchers needed to implement projects. The organization reports that the affected companies are already in the process of making court requests for suspending the I4B appeal, with possible extensions on I4A and I7 calls. If the courts respond to these requests, the implementation of the projects could be temporarily blocked, which would lead to significant delays in the energy transition of Romania.

In addition, the delay of projects could have the following serious implications:

• Loss of European funds if the Terms of PNR (deadline for implementation are not respected: September 2025);

• Compromising the credibility of the evaluation process and the institutions involved;

• Direct negative impact on beneficiary households, which will not be able to access the necessary equipment to reduce energy consumption and reduce costs.

The European Business Leaders organization asks the Ministry of Investments and European Projects (MIPE) to intervene urgently to correct this error and prevent a judicial blocking that could affect one billion euros from PNR allocations for energy transition.