Romania's energy sector needs EUR 30 bln investments

Romania’s energy sector requires about EUR 30 billion investments in the next 15 years, and most of them should come from the private sector, said Catalin Pauna, World Bank economist in Romania. “Energy is an extremely important sector in Romania, with a big contribution to the GDP. It’s a sector which requires important investments,” said Pauna, cited by local Agerpres. The legal framework should be adequate, in order to attract direct investments. The local power exchange platform OPCOM is one of the most transparent in the EU, Pauna said. “I’ve seen the consolidation of the energy bourse OPCOM in Bucharest. I’ve seen increasing volumes of electricity traded on the exchange. The wholesale prices have dropped significantly in the last 2-3 years,” the World Bank representative added. Many investors have complained about the several changes in Romania’s legal framework on renewable energy, arguing that the state didn’t create predictable laws. editor@romania-insider.com