Oradea proposes the development of a photovoltaic solar park, the realization of the technical infrastructure (installations and equipment) necessary for the injection into the National Energy System of the electricity produced, and the improvement of the quality of life in the Municipality of Oradea through the annual reduction of greenhouse gases.

Through this project, a photovoltaic power plant will be built on a 12.5-hectare land area, owned by the municipality of Oradea, which is located between Matei Corvin and Santaului streets, in the vicinity of the municipal waste storage dump.

The total value of the investment is RON 81.38 million including VAT (€16.44 million), of which RON 30.02 million (€6million) (45%) represents the co-financing of the project from European funds, and RON51.35 million (55%) will be the contribution of the municipality. The estimated completion time is 12 months.

In the field of green energy, a second signed contract, worth €4.34 million, aims to improve energy efficiency by using energy from renewable sources for own consumption at the Oradea Water Company level.

According to the calendar established for the launch of calls through Cohesion Policy-related programs in 2023, in the second half of this year, all calls for investment projects in areas such as water and wastewater, energy efficiency, waste management, or gas infrastructure financed by Sustainable Development Program (SDP). In total, by the end of this year, 16 calls for projects worth €5.25 billion will be opened under this program.

"The municipality of Oradea will have a photovoltaic park with over 15,000 panels that have a marketing component, i.e. it will produce green energy, which is a first in Romania, so as to make the most of the solar energy potential and move into a new stage of development, all these projects being financed by POIM. As I announced, calls will soon be opened through the Sustainable Development Program, which means that local authorities will be able to access an important budget for investments - over €5 billion", said the Minister of European Investments and Projects, Marcel Boloș.

The plant will be connected to the National Energy System, thus contributing to the increase in electricity production from renewable sources and to the reduction of greenhouse gas emissions.

"This photovoltaic park has a marketing component, i.e. it will produce green energy, which is a first in Romania as only two projects of this kind and two local public authorities had this initiative: Oradea and Braşov, to make the best use of the potential of solar energy and move to a new stage of development," said the Minister of European Investments and Projects, Marcel Boloş.

The photovoltaic power plant provides for the installation of 15,168 mono facial photovoltaic panels, each with an installed power of 670 Wp per panel, respectively the related electrical equipment - 48 175 kW inverters and 51,850 kVA step-up transformer stations. The photovoltaic panels will be placed on special metal support structures.

"Oradea, by signing the photovoltaic park project, with a marketing component and its implementation, I hope it will remain a reference model for the whole country and the local public authorities will gain courage. Here the municipality of Oradea sometimes played the role of a locomotive in terms of these types of projects. Let's not forget the Nufărul-Cantemir urban mobility corridor, the first in the country and of European reference, or the urban garden in Nufărul which is ready to be selected in the Bauhau type projects, which we manage at the level of Romania so that to be financed from the operational programs as soon as possible," emphasized Minister Marcel Boloş.

As part of the investment, related works are also provided: the execution of an electrical connection to the National Energy System through the 110 kV Power Station in the CET premises, including the construction of a 20/110 kV power station, landscaping, construction of alleys and technological roads in the framework of the park, it's fencing, lighting system, centralized video surveillance system, grounding installation, and lightning rod.

The photovoltaic park will be able to be managed remotely, as part of the investment the installation of equipment for remote monitoring and control via optical fiber/GSM is foreseen.

Minister Marcel Boloș signed, together with Florin Birta, the mayor of Oradea, Mircea Mălan, the vice-president of the Bihor County Council, and Lucian Chindlea, the director of the Oradea Water Company, 6 financing contracts through which 11 administrative-territorial units in Bihor County benefit from investments in the total value of €91.2 million.

Three projects belong to Compania de Apa Oradea (€65.5 million, expansion of water networks, digitization of the consumption monitoring system, photovoltaic parks), two from CJ Bihor (€9.3 million, construction of waste collection centres through voluntary contribution) and one of Oradea City Hall (Photovoltaic Park, €16.4 million).