In early 2019, CEZ said it would sell its operations in Romania, Turkey and Poland to focus on the Czech market.
“CEZ Romania Group continues without delay the investment plan and strategic projects scheduled for 2020, such as the digitalization of the distribution network,” Group officials told Ziarul Financiar.
The project aimed at digitizing the Distributie Oltenia division implies smart metering, the modernization of power transformation stations and low- and medium-voltage networks and the implementation of a management system of the electricity network assets and of an integrated system Smart Grid Connect.
Distributie Oltenia (formerly known as CEZ Distributie) ensures power supply for seven Romanian counties, namely, Arges, Dolj, Gorj, Mehedinti, Olt, Teleorman and Valcea.
The Group’s investment plans in Romania also target the development of new products for the online, in order to help consolidate and increase traffic on online channels, according to Group’s representatives.
The nine companies operating under the umbrella of CEZ Romania Group, namely, Distribuție Energie Oltenia, CEZ România, CEZ Vânzare, CEZ Trade, CEZ ESCO Romania, Tomis Team, MW Invest, Ovidiu Development and TMK Hydroenergy Power, employ a total 1,845 people, of whom 50% have been working remotely in the last two months, due to the situation caused by the COVID-19 pandemic.
Czech utility group CEZ has been operating in Romania since 2005, when it took over electricity distributor Electrica Oltenia. The Group owns in Romania the largest on-shore wind farm in Europe, which utilizes 240 wind turbines.