“Romania took a giant leap from 19 MW to 550 MW installed wind power, ranking seventh among European countries with respect for wind power capacities installed last year,” AREE executive manager Dana Duica said in a news release.
Czech group CEZ has capacities of a total 340 MW connected to the national power grid, while Energias de Portugal has 160 MW and Italian Enel has 30 MW.
The 1,000 MW expected to be installed by the end of the year will supply 1.4 million households. By comparison, the two operating reactors at nuclear power plant Cernavoda have an installed capacity of 1,400 MW between them.
By the end of 2012, wind power capacity is expected to reach 2,000 MW, which could supply over 7.7 million Romanians, according to the association.
On the other hand, companies on the wind power market said that investors are looking into the possibility of dumping projects, because of the “legislative chaos”.
“Energy producers, however, draw attention to the fact that they are currently reconsidering their positions towards Romania, and some of the investors are already looking into ways of leaving Romania, because of the legislative chaos,” the AREE document reads.
Renewable energy producers associated in AREE have invested over EUR1 billion in Romania, to develop wind power capacities.
AREE is an NGO founded in 2008 and it has 90 members, including developers, banks, energy traders, consultants and law firms.