Shanghai Electric lands EPC for Romania’s 342-MW Pârâu solar phase

• Econergy selected Shanghai Electric as EPC for phase two of the 342-MW Pârâu solar complex in Romania, advancing a major utility-scale build.

Econergy Renewable Energy has appointed Shanghai Electric as engineering, procurement, and construction (EPC) contractor for the second phase of the 342-MW Pârâu solar complex in Romania, moving one of the country’s largest PV developments deeper into execution. The award underscores a trend toward partnering with EPCs that can standardize delivery across multi-hundred-megawatt sites while meeting tightening grid-code requirements.

The technical blueprint will be familiar to lenders and operators. High-efficiency modules—many bifacial—on single-axis trackers, DC/AC ratios tuned for annual yield rather than headline peaks, and plant-level controls configured for reactive power, low/high-voltage ride-through, and rapid curtailment response. Unified SCADA with string-level telemetry and thermal inspections enables predictive maintenance and quick remediation of underperforming blocks, lifting availability by basis points that compound over the asset life.

Grid integration is central in Romania as solar penetration rises. Expect close coordination with the transmission operator on substation sequencing, protection settings, and staged energisation. Designs typically preserve transformer headroom and pad space for future battery additions—two to four hours of storage that can shift midday output into evening peaks, reduce curtailment, and open ancillary-service revenues.

EPC scope at this scale hinges on supply-chain discipline. Bulk procurement of transformers, switchgear, and protection gear reduces both cost and schedule risk. Pre-engineered foundations and cable routes minimize field change orders, while rigorous QA/QC—torque checks, grounding continuity, and weld inspections—keeps commissioning on schedule.

Community and environmental measures are table stakes: traffic management, dust and storm-water controls sized for heavy rainfall, visual screening, and biodiversity plans that convert portions of the site to species-rich groundcover and reinforced hedgerows. Decommissioning provisions and recycling pathways for modules and balance-of-plant components provide long-term assurances.

For Romania, Pârâu’s next phase brings a substantial block of local daytime generation; for Econergy and Shanghai Electric, it’s a platform to demonstrate repeatable, grid-friendly delivery at utility scale—turning permits and interconnection queue positions into electrons on the wire.