{{short description|Romanian electricity company}} {{Infobox company | name = Electrica | logo = Electrica logo.svg | type = [[S.A. (corporation)|Joint-stock company]] | traded_as = {{BVB|EL}}<br>{{LSE|ELSA}} | key_people = {{Plain list| *Alexandru Aurelian Chirita, Chief Executive Officer *Costin Iordache, Chief Financial Officer *Andreea Ioana Lambru, Chief Development Officer}} | industry = [[Electricity]] | revenue = RON 10.010 million (2022) | num_employees = 8,000 (2019) | foundation = 1990 | location = [[Bucharest]], [[Romania]] | homepage = [http://www.electrica.ro www.electrica.ro] }}
'''Electrica''' is a public company, listed on the Bucharest and London stock exchanges. Electrica is the only listed Romanian company in the field of electricity distribution and supply in Romania. Electrica Group is a key player in the electricity distribution and supply market in Romania, as well as one of the most important players in the energy services sector in the country.
The main activities of the Group are the distribution and supply of electricity to final customers.
The company was established in 1998 as a division of ''CONEL'' (''Compania Națională de Electricitate''), the largest electric power distribution company in the country at that time, but became a stand-alone company in 2000 when CONEL was restructured.<ref name="istoric">{{cite web |url=http://www.electrica.ro/content.asp?id=531 |title=Istoric Electrica |access-date=September 1, 2010 |publisher=Electrica |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081218053921/http://www.electrica.ro/content.asp?id=531 |archive-date=December 18, 2008 }}</ref>
==History== The story of Electrica begins in 1921, when the "Societatea Română pentru Întreprinderi Electrice Industriale”, founded in 1898, becomes “S.C. ELECTRICA S.A. – Societate Anonimă Română".
In 1990, after the fall of the communist regime, the first electric power distribution company was called ''RENEL'' or ''Regia Autonomă de Electricitate''. The company owned and operated everything in the field of electricity production, transmission and distribution in Romania and had an installed production capacity of around 20,000 MW.<ref>{{cite web | url = http://www.ziaruldeiasi.ro/economic/renel-s-ar-putea-transforma-in-societate-nationala-la-inceputul-anului-viitor~ni4bk | title = RENEL s-ar putea transforma in societate nationala la inceputul anului viitor | access-date = September 1, 2010 | publisher = Ziarul de Iasi }}</ref> In 1998 RENEL was dissolved and divided into three companies ''CONEL'' (supply and distribution), [[Nuclearelectrica]] (production) and ''Regia Autonomă pentru Activități Nucleare'' or ''RAAN'' (production and research).<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.electrica.ro/content.asp?id=197 |title=A.F.E.E. Sibiu istoric |access-date=September 1, 2010 |publisher=Electrica |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081218043146/http://www.electrica.ro/content.asp?id=197 |archive-date=December 18, 2008 }}</ref>
Since 1998 the company that took over all the production and transport facilities of the former RENEL was ''CONEL '' (''Compania Națională de Electricitate''). The company had three branches, [[Termoelectrica]] specialized in production of thermal and electric power from [[fossil fuel]]s, [[Hidroelectrica]] specialized in production of electric power from renewable sources especially [[Hydroelectricity|hydro power plants]] and Electrica specialized in the supply and distribution of electric power. In 2000 the CONEL company was dissolved and the three branches that formed it became separate companies including a new one called [[Transelectrica]] specialized in the transportation of electric power thru power lines.<ref>{{cite web | url = http://www.ziaruldeiasi.ro/local/iasi/renel-isi-bate-joc-de-380-000-de-ieseni~nifs6 | title = RENEL isi bate joc de 380.000 de ieseni | access-date = September 1, 2010 | publisher = Ziarul de Iasi}}</ref>
The current Electrica company was established in 2000 after the break-up of CONEL and initially had eight branches "Transilvania Nord", "Transilvania Sud", "Muntenia Nord", "Muntenia Sud", "Moldova", "Oltenia", "Dobrogea" and "Banat". In 2005 Electrica privatized four of its branches namely "Moldova", "Oltenia", "Dobrogea" and "Banat" by selling 51% shares in each. The "Electrica Oltenia" branch was sold to the [[Czech Republic|Czech]] company [[CEZ Group]] for €167 million<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.sfin.ro/articol_17720/cez_preia_fara_zgomot_fosta_electrica_oltenia.html |title=CEZ preia fără zgomot fosta Electrica Oltenia |access-date=September 1, 2010 |publisher=Cotidianul |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110716064823/http://www.sfin.ro/articol_17720/cez_preia_fara_zgomot_fosta_electrica_oltenia.html |archive-date=July 16, 2011 }}</ref> while the "Electrica Moldova" branch was sold to the [[Germany|German]] company [[E.ON]] for €100 million.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.sfin.ro/articol_20310/statul_activeaza_optiunile_contractelor_de_privatizare_din_energie.html?action=print |title=Statul activează opţiunile contractelor de privatizare din energie |access-date=September 1, 2010 |publisher=Saptamana Financiara |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110716064904/http://www.sfin.ro/articol_20310/statul_activeaza_optiunile_contractelor_de_privatizare_din_energie.html?action=print |archive-date=July 16, 2011 }}</ref> The "Electrica Banat" and "Dobrogea" were sold to the [[Italy|Italian]] company [[Enel]] for a combined €112 million.<ref>{{cite web | url = http://www.adevarul.ro/financiar/Compania-Enel-Electrica-Banat-Dobrogea_0_67794513.html | title = Compania italiana Enel a cumparat Electrica Banat si Electrica Dobrogea cu 111,8 milioane euro | date = 20 July 2004 | access-date = September 1, 2010 | publisher = Adevarul}}</ref> The Italian company also bought in 2008 a 64.4% stake in the "Electrica Muntenia Sud", the largest of the Electrica branches, for €820 million.<ref>{{cite web | url = http://www.businessmagazin.ro/actualitate/enel-electrica-muntenia-sud-1006151 | title = Enel Electrica Muntenia Sud | access-date = September 1, 2010 | publisher = Business Magazin}}</ref>
In 2011, "Electrica Furnizare Muntenia Nord", "Electrica Furnizare Transilvania Nord" and "Electrica Furnizare Transilvania Sud" merged into the trading company "Electrica Furnizare" SA.
In 2014, 51% of the shares of Electrica SA were double listed on the London Stock Exchange and on the Bucharest Stock Exchange. It was the biggest listing on the capital market in the country. The company collected at the time a record of almost LEI 2 billion (EUR 443 million).
==Activity== Electrica is serving over 3.8 million customers in the entire country.
The Group's distribution activity is carried out through the three energy distribution companies: "SDEE Transilvania Nord", "SDEE Transilvania Sud", "SDEE Muntenia Nord". Also, the Group provides electricity to more than 3.5 million customers through the trading company "Electrica Furnizare" SA. The supply activity covers 18.69% (2019) of Romania's energy needs.
Electrica also has control over the services and maintenance company Electrica Serv. Electrica Serv operates in the fields of consulting and design, maintenance, inspections, overhauls and repairs of energy and measuring equipment. In 2016, Electrica had a network of about 116,500 km of power lines. In 2020, the company has a network of about 198,988 km of power lines. The company also has in its portfolio the Dimitrie Leonida Technical Museum.
The three distribution companies within the Electrica Group are: "SDEE Transilvania Nord", that serves 6 counties located in North Western Romania namely [[Bihor County|Bihor]], [[Bistrița-Năsăud County|Bistrița-Năsăud]], [[Cluj County|Cluj]], [[Maramureș County|Maramureș]], [[Satu Mare County|Satu Mare]] and [[Sălaj County|Salaj]] [[Counties of Romania|counties]] which serves 1.29 million people over an area of {{convert|34162|km2|mi2|abbr=on}}; "SDEE Transilvania Sud" that serves 6 counties located in central Romania namely [[Alba County|Alba]], [[Brașov County|Brașov]], [[Covasna County|Covasna]], [[Harghita County|Harghita]], [[Mureș County|Mureș]] and [[Sibiu County|Sibiu]] [[Counties of Romania|counties]] which serves 1.16 million people over an area of {{convert|34072|km2|mi2|abbr=on}}; and "SDEE Muntenia Nord" that serves 6 counties located in Southern and South Eastern Romania namely [[Brăila County|Brăila]], [[Buzău County|Buzău]], [[Dâmbovița County|Dâmbovița]], [[Galați County|Galați]], [[Prahova County|Prahova]] and [[Vrancea County|Vrancea]] [[Counties of Romania|counties]] which serves 1.31 million people over an area of {{convert|28.962|km2|mi2|abbr=on}}.
==References== {{Reflist}}
==External links== *[http://www.electrica.ro/ Official website]
[[Category:Electric power companies of Romania]] [[Category:Companies in the BET-20]]