Romania Approves a Demand Flexibility Mechanism: Consumers Can Be Paid to Reduce Consumption

On 19 August 2026, the Romanian energy regulator ANRE approved the Regulation on the consumption flexibility service, a market mechanism under which eligible electricity consumers can be remunerated for temporarily and voluntarily reducing their consumption. Participation runs directly or through suppliers and aggregators, the transmission system operator Transelectrica organises the auctions, and payment follows only where metering data confirms the reduction. The regulator's announcement is available on the ANRE website.

How does the consumption flexibility service work?

At a high level, the mechanism operates through the following stages:

• Transelectrica assesses whether the regulatory conditions for activating the mechanism are met and determines the required quantity of consumption flexibility.

• Transelectrica organises competitive procurement for the relevant activation period.

• Eligible participants submit offers specifying the quantity of electricity consumption they are prepared to reduce and the requested price. Eligible consumers may participate directly or through a supplier or aggregator, subject to the applicable requirements.

1. Transelectrica selects offers in accordance with the selection rules established by the regulation until the required volume is covered.

• Delivery is assessed using metering data. Actual consumption during the relevant interval is compared with the consumption profile determined under the regulation, and remuneration is conditional on fulfilment of the accepted obligation.

Participation in the procurement process is voluntary. Once an offer is accepted, however, the participant’s delivery and settlement obligations are governed by the regulation and the applicable procurement arrangements. 

When will the service be used?

ANRE designed the mechanism for situations that put the power system under stress:

• supply deficits;
• extreme temperatures;
• major generation outages;
• import capacity constraints.

Why does Romania need demand flexibility?

Romania has experienced repeated periods of tight supply during heat waves and low renewable output, with price spikes and heavy reliance on imports. A demand-side instrument adds a resource that responds within hours and scales with need, and it complements the flexibility that batteries and flexible generation provide on the supply side.

The regulation also aligns Romania with the EU electricity market design reform, which requires member states to assess their flexibility needs and to open system services to demand response on comparable terms with generation. 

What changes for market participants?

• Eligible industrial and commercial consumers may obtain an additional, event-driven remuneration opportunity for consumption that can be temporarily reduced when the mechanism is activated. This is not necessarily a stable or recurring revenue stream.
• Aggregators may be able to combine eligible flexible consumption from multiple sites and participate on behalf of customers, subject to the aggregation, metering and minimum-offer requirements in the regulation.
• Suppliers may participate on behalf of eligible customers and may develop demand-response propositions consistent with the regulatory framework and their contractual arrangements with customers.
• Transelectrica gains an additional system-management option based on voluntary demand reduction. According to ANRE, this may reduce the need to activate more expensive balancing resources in some circumstances.

• For the balancing market, the mechanism introduces an additional type of dispatchable resource, but its impact on balancing volumes and prices will depend on how frequently it is activated and on the competitiveness and performance of participating demand.

The most relevant potential participants are likely to be customers that can reliably modify electricity consumption for the required interval while maintaining safe and acceptable operations. Whether an individual industrial process, commercial facility or aggregated portfolio can participate must be assessed against the regulation’s technical and operational requirements. 

FAQ

Who can participate in Romania's consumption flexibility service?

Eligible electricity consumers, either directly or through their supplier or an aggregator, subject to the technical, metering and other requirements established by the rules. 

Is participation mandatory?

No. Participation is entirely voluntary, and the mechanism is separate from mandatory rationing. Consumers decide whether to submit or authorise an offer. If an offer is accepted, delivery and settlement are governed by the applicable regulatory and contractual requirements. 

How is the payment determined?

Through competitive auctions. Participants state their price in their offers, Transelectrica selects the most advantageous offers until the required volume is covered, and remuneration is paid where metering data confirms the delivered reduction against the consumption baseline. The precise pricing, settlement and adjustment rules should be checked in the regulation and the applicable procurement procedures.

How is the reduction verified?

Metering data is used to assess actual consumption during the activation interval against the consumption profile determined in accordance with the regulation. Remuneration depends on verified fulfilment of the accepted reduction obligation. 

What does the mechanism mean for aggregators and suppliers?

It establishes a regulated route through which eligible suppliers and aggregators may represent dispatchable consumption in Transelectrica’s procurement process. The commercial opportunity is contingent on customer eligibility, activation of the mechanism, successful selection of an offer and verified delivery. 

About D.TRADING

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The company trades power, gas, LNG, and fuels for enterprise and wholesale counterparties, with services that include structured trading, renewable offtake, battery storage route-to-market, and guarantees of origin. In 2025, it traded 12.1 TWh of power and 7.0 TWh of natural gas for more than 130 clients.

Disclaimer

This article is prepared by D.TRADING for general informational purposes only and does not constitute legal, financial, investment, accounting, tax, or regulatory advice. The information contained herein is based on publicly available sources and reflects opinion on the regulatory environment as of the publication date. D.TRADING makes no representations or warranties, express or implied, as to the accuracy, completeness, or timeliness of the information provided. This document is not an offer or solicitation to buy or sell any energy products, commodities, or financial instruments.