Romania’s Mintia gas-fired power project has reached its first turbine ignition as a €1.2 billion investment moves toward grid connection and commissioning. The milestone follows the firing of the first gas turbine on October 8. The project is being developed by Mass Global Energy Rom at the site of the former Mintia coal-fired power station.
The private investment exceeds €1.2 billion. Two gas turbines are expected to provide approximately 1.1 GW, while the completed combined-cycle configuration is designed to reach around 1.7 GW. The first ignition does not indicate commercial operation, with further testing, grid synchronisation and initial electricity deliveries still required before capacity can be available to the market.
Romania faces tight system conditions during commissioning
The commissioning milestone comes during a difficult period for Romania’s electricity system. Both Cernavodă nuclear reactors have been unavailable, removing approximately 1.36 GW of baseload generation. Romania has therefore relied heavily on electricity imports, with day-ahead prices repeatedly exceeding €200/MWh and evening prices rising above €300/MWh.
Once operational, Mintia is expected to provide dispatchable generation that can respond to demand peaks. It would also be able to compensate during periods of weak wind, solar or hydropower production. The combined-cycle configuration is also designed to offer higher efficiency than older gas-fired and coal units.
Gas demand and market factors for lenders and traders
Mintia is also expected to create significant additional demand for natural gas. That increases the relevance of Romania’s domestic gas resources, including the Neptun Deep Black Sea project, which is expected to begin production in 2027. The interaction between new domestic gas supply and modern gas-fired generation could affect Romania’s exposure to regional electricity imports.
For lenders and electricity traders, Mintia’s commercial value will depend on gas prices, carbon costs, plant efficiency and the number of profitable operating hours. The plant is set to operate in a market where midday solar is comparatively cheap and evening electricity is comparatively expensive. Flexible dispatch rather than continuous baseload operation is therefore central to its economics.
Mintia has not yet added electricity to the grid, but the first turbine ignition brings the project closer to replacing part of Romania’s lost firm generation with a modern asset that can influence regional electricity prices.