How to Get an Electrical Connection in Romania While Living Abroad: The Complete Remote Guide (No Travel)

If you live in Spain, Italy or the United Kingdom and own land or a house in Romania, organising the electrical connection from a distance can feel impossible. Time off work, flights, queues at the operator’s office, paperwork in a system you no longer follow day to day, the obstacles add up fast.

The good news: under the current Romanian connection rules, the entire process can be handled by an authorised representative on your behalf. With a properly drafted power of attorney, you can get the whole job done, from the dossier to the meter on the pole, without setting foot in Romania.

This guide walks you through exactly how it works, what you need to prepare, and what it costs.

Can it really be done without travelling?

Yes. There is no legal requirement for the property owner to be physically present at any stage of a residential electrical connection. Every step that normally requires the owner, signing the connection request, submitting documents, signing the connection contract, accepting the works, can be delegated to an authorised representative through a notarised power of attorney (in Romanian, a procura).

SUN WATT SRL (bransam.ro) is an ANRE-certified company for both design and execution of electrical connections. We act as your representative end to end: we prepare and file the grid-connection dossier, obtain the ATR (technical connection approval) from the distribution operator Retele Electrice Romania S.A., carry out the physical connection, and complete the DIU (the Utilisation Installation File / Dosarul Instalatiei de Utilizare). You receive photo and video updates on WhatsApp and pay by bank transfer from abroad.

We cover Bucharest, Ilfov and Giurgiu for execution, and handle DIU files nationwide. Full details are on our dedicated page for getting an electrical connection from abroad.

The remote process at a glance

Here is the whole journey, from first contact to a working meter:

Throughout, you stay informed by WhatsApp with photos and short videos at each milestone.

Step 1: The power of attorney (procura)

The power of attorney is the legal key that lets us act for you. There are two practical ways to obtain it from abroad:

Option A: At the Romanian consulate or embassy

You book an appointment at the Romanian consulate or embassy in the country where you live (for example in Spain, Italy or the UK) and sign the procura before a consular officer, who notarises it. Consular powers of attorney are issued in Romanian and are immediately valid in Romania, no further legalisation is needed.

Option B: A local notary + apostille

If a consular appointment is hard to get, you can sign the power of attorney before a local notary in your country of residence. Because Romania and all EU countries (plus the UK) are party to the Hague Apostille Convention, the deed is then legalised with an apostille and accompanied by an authorised Romanian translation. This route avoids consular waiting times.

We send you the exact wording the procura must contain so it covers every action, filing the dossier, signing the connection contract, representing you before the operator, and accepting the works, in one document. That way you never need a second signature.

Tip: ask us for the draft text before your notary or consulate appointment. A procura that is missing a power often means a second trip to the notary, which we want to avoid for you.

Step 2: The documents you send online

Everything is sent digitally, by email or WhatsApp. For a standard residential connection we typically need:

• A copy of your ID or passport (the owner’s, plus the representative’s where required)
• The land registry extract (extras de carte funciara) for the property
• The urban planning certificate (certificat de urbanism), where the case requires it
• A site plan / cadastral plan of the plot
• The signed power of attorney (the procura from Step 1)
• Your contact details and, if you have one, your existing customer/place-of-consumption code

Good-quality phone photos are usually fine. We tell you upfront which documents your specific case needs, so you don’t gather paperwork you’ll never use.

Step 3: We file the dossier and obtain the ATR

Once we have your documents, our ANRE-certified team compiles the grid-connection dossier and submits it to Retele Electrice Romania S.A. (the distribution operator, formerly known under older brand names; the correct current name is Retele Electrice Romania S.A.).

The operator analyses the file and issues the ATR (Aviz Tehnic de Racordare), the technical connection approval. The ATR states the approved power, the connection point and the technical conditions. We then sign the connection contract on your behalf using your power of attorney.

If you only need help getting through this administrative stage, we also offer standalone ATR assistance.

Step 4: Execution of the connection

With the contract in place, we build the connection. The two common residential cases are:

Single-phase connection

A single-phase (230 V) connection suits most homes with standard appliances and typical heating. It is the most economical option.

Three-phase connection

A three-phase (400 V) connection is recommended where you’ll run higher loads, heat pumps, an EV charger, workshop equipment, a larger house, or where you plan to add solar (prosumer) in future.

Not sure which you need or what it will cost? Use our connection cost calculator for an instant estimate based on your distance and connection type.

Step 5: The DIU and switching the power on

After the physical connection, the installation needs a DIU (Dosarul Instalatiei de Utilizare, the Utilisation Installation File). The DIU is the technical documentation that certifies your internal installation is safe and compliant; the operator requires it before energising the meter.

We prepare the DIU and submit it. We handle DIU files anywhere in Romania, even outside our Bucharest/Ilfov/Giurgiu execution area, which is useful if your property is elsewhere in the country. Learn more on our DIU service page.

Once the DIU is accepted, the operator mounts the meter and energises the connection. We confirm with a final photo, and your property has power.

Indicative prices

These are starting prices for our labour and materials. They do not include the operator’s own connection tariff, which Retele Electrice Romania S.A. sets separately based on the ATR.

Final pricing depends on distance from the network, terrain and the operator’s requirements in the ATR. We send a clear written quote before any work starts, and you pay by bank transfer from your account abroad.

How payment works from abroad

You pay by bank transfer to the company account. SUN WATT SRL is a registered Romanian company, so a SEPA transfer from a Eurozone account (Spain, Italy) or an international transfer from the UK arrives normally. We issue a proper invoice (factura) for every payment, which you keep as your record of the works.

We typically split payment into stages tied to milestones (for example dossier, execution, DIU), so you only pay as the project progresses.

Ready to start?

The fastest way to begin is to send us photos of your land registry extract and your ID, and tell us where the property is. We’ll reply with exactly what your case needs and the wording for your power of attorney.

Message or call us on 0733 097 440 (phone and WhatsApp), or use our contact page. We speak Romanian and reply to messages from abroad, no need to call during Romanian office hours if it’s awkward for your time zone.