Removing an Electrical Connection (Desfiintare Bransament): Who Does It, When and How
Every month we get calls that start with “I want the power cut off for good.” When we dig into the details, the callers actually mean three very different things: one had the electricity cut off over unpaid bills, another wants to stop paying for an empty property, and a third is about to demolish an old house and the paperwork demands that the utilities be physically removed. These are three separate procedures, with different forms, different parties involved and very different consequences. Mixing them up wastes weeks — and in the demolition scenario it can stall the whole project. Here is how they differ in 2026, in the area served by Retele Electrice Romania S.A. (formerly E-Distributie/Enel), the distribution operator for Bucharest, Ilfov and Giurgiu.
Three procedures people confuse — and why the difference matters
1. Temporary disconnection (for non-payment or on request)
If bills go unpaid, the supplier asks the operator to disconnect the consumption point. The supply is interrupted, but the bransament — the physical line between the distribution grid and your metering point — stays exactly where it is. Once the debt and the reconnection fee are paid, power is usually restored within days. You can also request a temporary disconnection yourself, for example for a house left empty over winter. In both cases, nothing is dismantled.
2. Terminating the electricity supply contract
Termination (reziliere) ends the commercial relationship with your supplier. The meter may be taken off and billing stops, but the physical connection remains part of the grid and the consumption point survives in the operator’s records. A future owner or tenant can reactivate it simply by signing a new supply contract. This is the right choice when you sell the property or leave it unused long-term. The key point: terminating the contract does not physically remove anything.
3. Permanent removal of the connection (desfiintare bransament)
This is the only procedure that physically eliminates the connection: the operator dismantles the service line and the connection cabinet, and closes the consumption point in its records. It is irreversible — if you ever want power on that plot again, you go through a completely new connection process, with a new ATR (Technical Connection Approval).
When you actually need permanent removal
In practice there is one dominant scenario: demolition. When you demolish a building, the utilities have to be safely and verifiably disconnected before works start — a live service line hanging over a demolition site is a serious hazard, and no responsible contractor will bring in machinery with it still attached. The removal confirmation also belongs in your demolition file.
Rarer cases include merging two neighbouring properties and keeping a single connection, removing a connection serving a structure that no longer legally exists, or reconfigurations initiated by the operator itself.
An honest word of caution: if there is any realistic chance you will need electricity on that plot again, plan the sequence carefully before requesting removal. Once the bransament is gone, it is gone — see the rebuild section below.
Who carries out the removal — and why you cannot do it yourself
The bransament, up to and including the metering point, is part of the distribution grid. It belongs to the operator’s infrastructure, not to you, even though it serves your property. Under the ANRE regulations in force, only Retele Electrice Romania S.A. may execute works on it. No private electrician — with or without ANRE certification — is allowed to cut, disconnect or dismantle it. Doing it yourself is both illegal and potentially lethal: the line remains energised from the grid side even after your meter is removed.
What an ANRE-certified company like SUN WATT can legally do is prepare the documentation, file the request, follow up with the operator and coordinate the timing with your demolition contractor. The actual cutting and dismantling is always done by the operator’s crew.
The removal process, step by step
- Terminate the supply contract first. The supplier relationship has to be closed before the operator deregisters the consumption point.
- Submit a written removal request to Retele Electrice Romania, with a supporting dossier: identity document, proof of ownership (an up-to-date land registry extract), the demolition permit where applicable, and the operator’s request form.
- The operator assesses and quotes. The technical situation matters — an overhead connection is removed differently from an underground one. The cost of the removal is established by the operator, case by case; there is no public catalogue tariff. Be wary of any “standard removal price” you read online.
- Execution and deregistration. The operator’s crew removes the meter, dismantles the service line and the cabinet, and closes the consumption point in its records. Ask for the confirmation paperwork — you will need it for the demolition file and, later, for the rebuild.
Allow several weeks from request to execution, depending on the operator’s workload. Build this into your demolition schedule rather than discovering it a week before the excavator arrives.
Rebuilding on the same plot: new connection, new ATR
The question we hear most often: “Can I keep my old connection or my old approval for the new house?” The honest answer is no. Once the bransament has been removed and the consumption point closed, the slate is wiped clean. For the new building you go through the full connection process:
- Connection dossier and project — from 900 lei, with assistance for obtaining the ATR from 350 lei;
- A new ATR (Technical Connection Approval) — the operator re-evaluates the technical solution and sets the connection tariff for the new consumption point;
- Execution of the new bransament — single-phase from 1,800 lei, three-phase from 2,900 lei;
- DIU (Utilisation Installation Dossier) — documentation from 1,200 lei, mandatory before energisation;
- meter installation and a new supply contract.
You can find the full walk-through on the page about connecting a new house to electricity.
Two planning tips that save real money:
- Order a temporary site connection (from 2,200 lei) so the construction crew has power between demolition and the new permanent connection.
- Size the new connection for the new house, not the old one. Rebuilds usually bring a heat pump, EV charging or air conditioning — often three-phase where the 1960s house was single-phase. Deciding this before the ATR request avoids a separate power-upgrade procedure later.
Quick comparison
| Scenario | What happens physically | Who decides / executes | Reversible? |
|---|---|---|---|
| Temporary disconnection | Supply interrupted; bransament stays in place | Supplier requests, operator executes | Yes, usually within days |
| Contract termination | Meter may be removed; bransament stays in place | You and the supplier | Yes, with a new contract on the same point |
| Permanent removal (desfiintare) | Service line and cabinet dismantled; consumption point closed | Operator only, at your written request | No — new ATR and new bransament required |
Need the paperwork handled? Talk to us
SUN WATT SRL (ANRE certificate no. 19761) prepares removal documentation, coordinates with Retele Electrice Romania, and — when you rebuild — handles the entire new connection from dossier to energisation, in Bucharest, Ilfov and Giurgiu. Call 0733 097 440 or write to us via the contact page and tell us whether you are demolishing, rebuilding or both — we will map out the right sequence and a realistic timeline.