Methods of improving the hydro energy potential, solutions of promoting the production of electricity from hydro sources, as well as the opportunities and obstacles in promoting hydro energy from a technical, economic, financial and legal point of view, were some of the themes discussed during the “Renewable Energy Resources – Capitalizing the Hydro Energy Potential in Romania” event, organized under the aegis of World Energy Council, held on June 30, 2011.
“Developing and streamlining the renewable energy sources is a matter intensively promoted globally in view of making renewable energy the most used source of energy. Thus, renewable energy has developed into an extremely interesting sector for investors, who are attracted by both the opportunities and benefits offered by this field and by the state’s incentives. Hydro energy is the most important source of renewable energy in Romania and one of the major advantages of this sector is the fact that financing is more facile in this field, as the necessary raw material is ensured by means of concession agreements and is constant, the necessary land to be secured is significantly lower than in other types of renewable energy projects and the initial investment required is not very high, the debt-to-equity ratio easily achieving a level considered satisfactory by credit and financing institutions”, says Miruna Suciu, Partner Musat & Asociatii and Co-head of the Energy and Natural Resources department.
Founded since 1995, the Energy and Natural Resources department is one of the most active within the firm, constantly developing through the years and successfully anticipating the sectors’ opportunities. In the past year, Musat & Asociatii has been involved in numerous high-profile projects such as assisting the Ministry of Economy and Hidroelectrica in the process of selecting investors for the Tarnita-Lapustesti pumped-storage hydropower plant – greenfield project estimated at EUR 1.3 billion, assisting Enel Green Power in connection with the acquisition of a photovoltaic project, advising the energy group Repower in connection with the acquisition of 80% of the shares of Elcomex or assisting Rompetrol Group on the acquisition of the remaining free float of Rompetrol Rafinare and Rompetrol Well Services.
In the “Renewable Energy Resources – Capitalizing the Hydro Energy Potential in Romania” event, representatives of Hidroelectrica S.A., “Romanian Waters” National Administration, the Institute of Hydroelectric Studies and Design, the Institute of Power Engineering of the Academy of Sciences- Republic of Moldova and some of the major players from the energy sector shared their views on similar matters of interest.
Musat & Asociatii’s energy expertise is regularly praised by the reputed international legal guides, Chambers & Partners and Legal 500, which place the firm at the top of the rankings in this area of expertise and highly recommend our lawyers as experts on the Romanian energy market.