Moldovan energy minister says available financial resources must be primarily directed towards modernization, expansion of electricity grids

The available financial resources, including the ones from investment programmes under the Growth Plan for Moldova, must be directed primarily towards the modernization and expansion of electricity grids, in order to enable the safe and efficient integration of renewable energy sources and to avoid critical situations, such as the partial blackout of 31 January, this year. Energy Minister Dorin Junghietu has made statements to this effect, at a working meeting on assessing the current state of electricity grids.

The participants emphasized that Moldova was at an advanced stage of the energy transition, and the present infrastructure must be rapidly adapted to cope with the new realities.

Moldelectrica reported that the wear level of the transmission networks was very high, between 70 and 90 per cent, and the service life of many pieces of equipment had been exceeded. Maintaining them in operational condition is a major challenge, and the need for massive investments in transmission infrastructure is critical.

Distribution system operators presented the situation on the connection of renewable capacities. RED Nord reported that permits had been issued for a capacity of 286 MW from renewable sources, including storage projects of approximately 13 MW. The first storage systems in north Moldova are to be commissioned in April in the localities of Lunga and Glodeni.

Other storage systems with a total capacity of 60 MW are to be put into operation in the near future in the service area of Premier Energy Distribution.

At the same time, it was found that, in certain areas, the network capacity had already been reached, both at the level of lines and transformers. Network congestions were reported, with substations loaded at 100–110 per cent, as well as an increase in technical losses. In addition, the Vulcanesti–Isaccea interconnection line is already experiencing congestion generated by technological flows.

In this context, the minister underlined the need to develop a joint strategy for the development of transmission networks in the southern area, in cooperation with the Ukrainian transmission system operator, Ukrenergo, including by aligning planning with the European TYNDP (Ten-Year Network Development Plan) document.

Representatives of Premier Energy Distribution highlighted the need to revise the regulatory framework, in order to stimulate investment in distribution networks, including by adjusting the tariff methodology and introducing accelerated depreciation mechanisms. In the Chisinau municipality, the networks are already overloaded, making it necessary to create a new injection point from the 330 kV network, as well as to update network topology and implement sectionalizing solutions to enhance system resilience.