The first thing I check on an AI file is which regime applies

Position as at 9 October 2026

The first thing I check on an AI file is which regime applies.

Connection contracts above 1 MW that were already in force on 25 May 2026 have a separate AI deadline of 25 May 2027 (ANRE Order 15/2026, Art. V alin. (3)).

For files governed by the general Article 36 rule, the deadline for the establishment authorisation (AI) above 1 MW of approved evacuation power is the earliest of three dates. Two are familiar: the connection contract plus 12 months, and the technical connection permit (ATR) plus 18 months. The third is the date the connection-installation execution contract is concluded (Art. 36 alin. (5^2)).

That third date is set between you and the grid operator, and it can fall well before either of the others. So I write it down first.

None of this says an AI is hard to obtain. It says the clock may be shorter than the contract file suggests.

Source: ANRE Order 15/2026, Monitorul Oficial nr. 436 of 25 May 2026. General information; check the rule applicable to the file.

If you want to check which clock governs a project, write to me.

Originally posted on LinkedIn: view the original post.

Day counts and deadlines are as of the post date; check the regulatory calendar for the current position. General information prepared from public sources, not legal advice. Read the disclaimer.