BUCHAREST, March 26 (Reuters) - Bucharest-based energy

group Premier Energy ( PNRC ) aims to boost its renewable energy

portfolio by 50% to 1.5 GW over the next two-to-three years,

while continuing to invest in neighbouring Moldova, its chief

executives said.

The company, owned by Czech investment holding Emma Capital,

has 1,000 MW of green projects under ownership, management or in

development in Romania, evenly split between wind and solar and

across the country.

It built 10 MW of solar power in Moldova last year and is

looking to add another 20 MW in 2024. The company, which

supplies and distributes energy, is the third largest gas

distributor in Romania and the largest electricity supplier and

distributor in Moldova.

"The biggest growth is the electricity generation management

and supply," Premier Energy's ( PNRC ) Chief Financial Officer Peter

Stohr told Reuters in an interview. "And that will continue to

be an area that we focus on in terms of growth."

Romania seeks to lower its carbon emissions to meet European

Union (EU) climate goals and to bolster energy security, which

has become a more urgent issue since Russia's invasion of

Ukraine in February 2022.

As an EU member, Romania has committed to phasing out coal

by 2032 and replacing it with gas, nuclear and renewable energy.

Premier Energy's ( PNRC ) Chief Executive Jose Garza said a lack of

long-term power purchasing agreements (PPAs) with commercial

consumers was one of the biggest challenges for renewable

developers's ability to secure bank financing prior to building.

Premier Energy ( PNRC ) began operating in Romania over a decade ago

and its revenue has grown from 13 million euros ($14.09 million)

to roughly 900 million euros in 2023, including through 25

acquisitions.

Asked whether the company was considering a listing on the

Bucharest Stock Exchange in the short term, Stohr said:

"We're really sort of positive on the growth aspects of the

company, so we may look to diversify our financing needs."

($1 = 0.9229 euros)