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The operators of plants with a capacity of up to 50 MW shall apply for connection to the distribution system operator, while the operators of plants whose capacity exceeds 50 MW shall apply for connection to the transmission system operator (art. 8 par. 1, 2 Ordinance 59/2013). In the following cases, the distribution system operator and the transmission system operator shall co-operate in issuing technical authorisations (ATR – Aviz Tehnic de Racordare) and concluding grid connection agreements to determine the most feasible connection point:

• where the feasibility study outlines various options for connecting a plant above 10 MW to the distribution grid. 
• where the feasibility study also outlines an option to connect a plant to a  medium-voltage grid or 110-kV substation in the transmission grid 
• where the feasibility study outlines various option for connection from which at least one option refers to connection of the plant to the distribution grid and at least one option refers to connection of the plant to the transmission grid (art. 21 par. 1 Ordinance No. 59/2013).

The following connection process is prescribed by law (art. 9 Ordinance 59/2013):

• Grid operator informs grid user: A grid user may apply in advance to the grid operator for information on the connection process (art. 10 par. 1 Ordinance No. 59/2013). This information may include the required documents, detailed information on feasible connection points, the procedural steps of connection, the estimated time for connection, and the applicable charges for the issue of technical authorisation and for the connection works (art. 10 par. 2 Ordinance No. 59/2013).
• Application for technical authorisation: The grid users are obliged to apply to the grid operator for technical authorisation to connect any type of plant to the grid before it is put into operation (art. 11 par. 1, 2 Ordinance No. 59/2013). The minimum information to be handed in with the application and its attachments are defined by law and shall contain, for example, information on the plant and its installed capacity, its location, its use, the estimated time until the plant will be ready to be connected, and the authorisations and certificates already obtained (art. 13-15 Ordinance No. 59/2013). Under certain conditions, the distribution system operator and the transmission system operator shall co-operate in the authorisation process (art. 21 par. 1 Ordinance No. 59/2013).
• Feasibility study: The grid operator shall conduct a feasibility study, in which he suggests connection points to the plant operator. To this end, a contract has to be concluded between the grid operator and the grid user (art. 17 par. 1 and art. 18 par. 1 Ordinance No. 59/2013 as referred to in art. I par. 7 Ordinance No. 63/2014). The plant operator has to choose a connection point and express his choice in writing (art. 18 par. 5 Ordinance No. 59/2013). The costs of the feasibility study shall be borne by the plant operator, which are part of the charges for the technical authorisation and are determined in the contract on the feasibility study concluded between the grid operator and the grid user (art. 17 par. 2 and 3 Ordinance 59/2013 as referred to in art. I par. 7 Ordinance No. 63/2014).
• Technical authorisation: After the grid operator has received an application for authorisation, he will send to the grid user an invoice for the costs incurred by the issue of the authorisation (art. 16 par. 4 Ordinance No. 59/2013). If an application is incomplete, the applicant will be requested to submit the missing documents (art. 16 par. 2 Ordinance No. 59/2013). Whether or not technical authorisation has been granted will be communicated in writing, as will the reasons for the refusal and the relevant technical and economic requirements for connection (art. 26, 27 Ordinance No. 59/2013 as referred to in art. I par. 10, 11 Ordinance 63/2014). In case that technical authorisation is emitted for plants with a capacity that exceeds 1 MW, the grid operator shall require the grid user to deposit a financial guarantee in case that the grid will have to be extended or enforced in order to connect the respective plant. The amount of the financial guarantee is one percent of the grid connection charges and is outlined in the technical authorisation (art. 31 par. 1-3 Ordinance No. 59/2013 and art. 9 par. 1-1 and 1-2 Law No. 220/2008 as referred to in art. I. Par. 8. Emergency Ordinance No. 57/2013 as referred to in Law No. 23/2014). Technical authorisation is valid until the certification for grid connection is emitted. However, technical authorisation ceases to be valid:
  • after 3 months in case of plants with a capacity of maximum 1 MW if the grid user does not display the financial guarantee requested in the technical authorisation, 
  • after 12 months of emitting the technical authorisation in case that the grid connection contract has not been concluded, 
  • in case that the construction licence or other certificates and licences, on which emitting technical authorisation was based, cease to be valid (art. 33 par. 1 Ordinance No. 59/2013).
• Conclusion of agreement. Where technical authorisation has been granted, the grid user shall apply to the grid operator for conclusion of an agreement and submit the documents required for the agreement (art. 34 and art. 36 par. 1-3 Ordinance No. 59/2013 as referred to in art. I par. 12 Ordinance No. 63/2014). After the grid user has submitted all documents, the agreement may be concluded (art. 36 par. 4 Ordinance No. 59/2013). If the grid operator refuses to connect a plant without due reason, he may be charged a penalty (art. 93 par. 1 number 8, 2 Electricity Law).
• Connection to the grid: After the agreement has been concluded, the grid operator is obliged to find solutions to all tasks related to the connection of the plant and implement them in accordance with the terms set out in the agreement (art. 44 par. 1 Ordinance No. 59/2013). The grid operator is obliged to submit the certificate of grid connection to the grid user after the grid connection installation has been put into function (art. 52 Ordinance No. 59/2013). The certificate of grid connection specifies the technical requirements the plant has to fulfil when being connected to the grid and which are outlined by law (art. 55 par. 1 Ordinance No. 59/2013). The grid operator is obliged to connect the plant to grid after issuing the certificate of grid connection and after the grid user concluded the contract on transport, distribution and/or delivery of electricity (art. 64 Ordinance No. 59/2013).

The periods within which the individual steps of the connection process must be completed are specified by statutory law:

• The grid operator shall inform the grid user on the grid connection process within 15 days upon receipt of the grid user's written application (art. 10 par. 3 Ordinance No. 59/2013).
• The grid operator shall verify the application for technical authorisation within 7 days from the date on which the receipt of the user's application for technical authorisation was recorded (art. 16 par. 1 Ordinance No. 59/2013). The grid operator sends his invoice for emitting the technical authorisation to the grid user after maximum 10 calendar days from the date on which the receipt of the user's application for technical authorisation was recorded (art. 16 par. 4 Ordinance No. 59/2013). 
• The grid operator submits to the grid user the contract on conducting the feasibility study within maximum 10 calendar days after the receipt of the complete application for technical authorisation was recorded (art. 18 par. 2 Ordinance No. 59/2013).
• The feasibility study shall be completed within 3 months after concluding the contract on the feasibility study in case of plants to be connected to the transmission grid (from 110kV) and within 1 month after concluding the contract on the feasibility study in case of plants to be connected to the distribution grid (art. 18 par. 4 Ordinance No. 59/2013 as referred to in art. I par. 9 Ordinance No. 63/2014).
• After all required documents have been submitted, technical authorisation shall be issued within 30 days. Where technical authorisation is based on a feasibility study, this period is 10 days. In case that issuing the technical authorisation by the DSO is based on consultation with the TSO, the deadline for issuing the technical authorisation will be extended by the time the TSO needed to comment, but not exceeding 30 calendar days (art. 26 par. 1, 3, 4 Ordinance No. 59/2013).
• In case of refusal of the technical authorisation, the grid operator needs to communicate its decision in writing and needs to outline the reasons for refusal within 20 calendar days from the date on which the receipt of the user's application for technical authorisation was recorded (art. 27 art. 1 Ordinance No. 59/2013 as referred to in art. I par. 11 Ordinance No. 63/2014).
• The grid user needs to deposit the financial guarantee required in the technical authorisation before the grid connection contract is concluded and maximum 3 months after the technical authorisation has been issued (art. 31 par. 4 Ordinance No. 59/2013).
• The grid operator needs to submit the draft contract for grid connection to the grid user within maximum 10 calendar days from the date on which the receipt of the user's application for grid connection was recorded. In case that the grid connection contract is modified in agreement between both parties, the grid operator needs to transmit the signed grid connection contract to the grid user within maximum 5 working days from the date the agreement on modifying the contract’s content has been concluded (art. 37 par. 1, 2 Ordinance No. 59/2013). 
• The certificate for grid connection needs to be issued within maximum 10 calendar days after the grid connection installation has been put into function (art. 52 par. 1 Ordinance No. 59/2013). The grid operator is obliged to connect the plant to the grid after issuing the certificate of grid connection and within maximum 10 calendar days after the grid user concluded the contract on transport, distribution and/or delivery of electricity (art. 64 par. 3, 4 Ordinance No. 59/2013).