Moldova would source more electricity from Romania after 1 January 2025

Chisinau, Dec 24 /MOLDPRES/- The Republic of Moldova is expected to buy more electricity from Romania after 1 January 2025, especially if the thermoelectric power plant in the Transnistrian region /MGRES/ stops deliveries.

From 1 January until 31 March 2025, Energocom will purchase three times more electricity from Romania's Nuclearelectrica, which owns Cernavodă nuclear power plant. The volume of the purchase is 100 MW band, almost three times more than in December 2024, when Energocom purchased 30 MW/ The price of energy is about 80 euro/MWh.

At the same time, the Ministry of Energy announced that another 100 MW is to be contracted from OMV Petrom's Brazi Thermoelectric Power Plant.

At the same time, up to 200 MW may be purchased on the Romanian power exchange OPCOM to cover peak consumption. Electricity prices on the exchange are higher and highly volatile, being dependent on weather conditions and market demand.

According to the Ministry of Energy, the guaranteed import capacity (NTC) of ENTSO-E for Moldova is 315 MW. Thanks to the support of the European Union, the ENTSO-E and the electricity transmission operators from Romania, Ukraine, Poland, Slovakia, Hungary, Energy Community Secretariat of Romania, the mechanism for increasing the NTC capacity has been identified. Thus, the Republic of Moldova will be able to use the unreserved capacity at other borders between ENTSO-E and Moldova-Ukraine joint regulating block. In addition to this, our country will be able to connect power lines with 110 kV interconnection voltage with Romania, through which 100+ MW can be transported.

In addition to purchases from Romania, the authorities in Chisinau expect to cover the electricity needs from domestic production and renewable sources.

Constantin Borosan, State Secretary of the Ministry of Energy has earlier announced that in December, the import of electricity from Romania is higher because MGRES operates with two energy blocks.

Since 16 December, a 60-day state of emergency has been set up throughout the Republic of Moldova in connection with potential risks of energy shortages.

Prime Minister Dorin Recean said on Monday that the situation in the energy sector is not simple, but the government has scenarios in place to provide citizens with natural gas and electricity. At the same time, the authorities are urging consumers to use energy resources rationally and save energy, especially during peak hours.