Prosumer grid connection application: steps, documents and what the template contains
If you want to become a prosumer and feed into the grid the energy produced by your photovoltaic panels, it all starts with the grid connection application. This is the official document through which you request the distribution operator to connect your photovoltaic system, install the bidirectional meter and classify you as a prosumer. In the Muntenia area (Bucharest, Ilfov, Giurgiu), the operator is Retele Electrice Romania S.A. (formerly E-Distributie Muntenia / Enel, PPC group). Below you will find the steps, the required documents and exactly what the application template contains.
What the prosumer grid connection application is
The grid connection (racordare) application is the standard form through which a user requests either a new electrical connection (bransament) or the modification of an existing one. For prosumers, the application has a distinctive feature: it requests not only the consumption of energy, but also the production and feed-in of the surplus into the grid. In effect, your consumption site also becomes a production site.
On the basis of this application, the operator issues the Technical Connection Approval (ATR), the document that establishes the technical conditions, the approved power for feed-in and the connection solution. Without the ATR, you cannot proceed to the installation of the bidirectional meter or the conclusion of the prosumer contract.
The six official prosumer scenarios
Not every prosumer file looks the same. According to the information published by Rețele Electrice România, there are six typical scenarios, each with its own annex (Annexes 1–5) attached to the application:
- You are building a new house and installing panels with an installed power below 400 kW.
- You are installing panels on a house already connected to the grid (own funds or the “Casa Verde” programme), below 400 kW.
- You already have panels installed and want the certification.
- You want an ATR in order to access a financing programme.
- Panels of up to 10.8 kW, with an installed power not exceeding the approved absorbed power.
- Panels of up to 10.8 kW, with an installed power exceeding the approved absorbed power.
Identifying your scenario correctly from the start matters, because it determines which annex accompanies the application and how the file is analysed.
Important: SUN WATT, an ANRE-certified company (execution and design), prepares the documentation and carries out the grid connection on the utilisation installation side. For an accurate estimate of the costs for the photovoltaic part, request a personalised offer at 0733 097 440.
The steps for connecting as a prosumer
The process from the application file to active prosumer status generally follows five stages:
- Preparing the documentation and submitting the grid connection application to the distribution operator, with all the technical annexes and the property documents.
- Issuance of the Technical Connection Approval (ATR) by the operator, after analysing the application. The ATR establishes the approved power and the technical solution. The operator’s published terms are 10 working days for the evaluation of the application and documentation and 30 calendar days for establishing the solution and issuing the ATR — official terms published by the operator, not guarantees; the ATR is sent to you after the related invoice has been paid.
- Design and execution of the installation (panels, inverter, switchboard, protections) by an ANRE-certified company, in accordance with the solution set out in the ATR.
- Installation of the bidirectional meter (smart meter) by the operator, a meter that measures separately the energy consumed and the energy fed into the grid.
- Energisation (punere sub tensiune), PRAM checks and conclusion of the prosumer contract with the supplier, so that the surplus delivered is compensated.
For details on the entire flow specific to photovoltaic systems, see the dedicated page prosumer photovoltaic grid connection.
What documents are required
The documents required may vary slightly depending on the situation (individual or legal entity, existing or new consumption site), but, as a rule, the file includes:
- The grid connection application, completed and signed.
- The identity document (individual) or the registration certificate (legal entity).
- The property document for the building or another document attesting the right of use (lease agreement, loan-for-use agreement, owner’s consent).
- A recent land registry extract (extras de carte funciara).
- A site plan / location plan, showing the placement of the objective.
- The single-line electrical diagram of the installation, with the inverter and the photovoltaic system.
- Technical data of the inverter and panels (power, conformity certificates).
- The existing connection certificate (certificat de racordare) or the energy bill, if the consumption site is already connected.
The correct preparation of these documents is the step where most delays occur. This is where the experience of a certified company comes in: see the electrical grid connection service and the ATR assistance part.
What the grid connection application template contains
The standardised form used by the operator has several sections. The table below summarises which fields you complete and why each one matters:
| Section of the application | What you complete | Why it is important |
|---|---|---|
| Applicant identification details | Name/company name, CNP/CUI, address, telephone, e-mail | Identifies the holder and the contact for correspondence |
| Consumption/production site details | Exact address, cadastral no., coordinates | Establishes the location and the operator’s area |
| Type of request | Prosumer connection (consumption + production) | Indicates classification as a prosumer, not simply a consumer |
| Installed / approved power | The power of the photovoltaic system (kW) and the desired feed-in power | Determines the technical solution and the feed-in limit |
| Installation technical data | Inverter, panels, single-line diagram | Allows analysis of compatibility with the grid |
| Annexes and documents | List of attached documents | Validates the file; a missing document blocks the issuance of the ATR |
| Consent and signature | Declarations, date, signature | Confirms the accuracy of the declared data |
The official application template is downloaded from the distribution operator’s portal and is submitted online or at the customer relations points. For online submission, you create an account on the operator’s online portal (reteleelectrice.ro); alternatively, the file can be lodged at the supplier’s shop. SUN WATT helps you correctly complete each field, so that the file is accepted first time.
Common mistakes when completing it
- Declaring a feed-in power different from that of the system actually installed.
- Missing single-line diagram or inverter technical data sheet.
- Expired property documents or a land registry extract that is too old.
- Confusion between connecting a new electrical connection (bransament) and modifying an existing one.
The role of the bidirectional meter and the final checks
After the ATR is issued and the installation is executed, the operator installs the bidirectional meter (smart meter). This records separately the energy you consume from the grid and the energy you feed in from the photovoltaic production, being the basis for the quantitative/value compensation with the supplier. On the meter display, the index code 1.8.0 shows the total active energy consumed, while 2.8.0 shows the active energy produced and fed into the grid — the index that matters specifically to prosumers, including when transmitting self-readings.
Before energisation (punere sub tensiune), checks of the installation are required, including the earthing connection and the electrical measurements. See the earthing connection and PRAM measurements services, which are mandatory for a safe and compliant installation.
Why work with an ANRE-certified company
Connecting a prosumer combines the bureaucratic part (application, ATR, file) with the technical part (design, execution, protections). An ANRE-certified company covers both components and is technically responsible for the work.
SUN WATT SRL offers:
- Drafting and submitting the grid connection application and the complete file.
- Assistance throughout the issuance of the ATR.
- Design and execution of the utilisation installation in accordance with the approved solution.
- Coordination with the operator for the installation of the bidirectional meter and energisation.
We cover Bucharest, Ilfov and Giurgiu, with national DIU (Utilisation Installation Dossier). For costs, you will find the prices for the electrical connection part and related services on the prices page, while for the photovoltaic system we prepare a personalised offer, since the final value depends on the installed power and the solution in the ATR.
Conclusion
The grid connection application is the key that opens the entire prosumer process: from it stem the ATR, the execution, the bidirectional meter and the final contract. Completed correctly and accompanied by all the documents, it significantly shortens the time until the first feed-in into the grid. For the drafting of the documentation and the actual grid connection, contact SUN WATT at 0733 097 440 or via the contact page.