VIDEO // Vulcanesti–Chisinau Overhead Power Line of 400 kV fully energized

The 400 kV Vulcanesti–Chisinau overhead power line has been fully energized up to the Chisinau Electrical Substation, this being one of the most important checks before the line enters commercial operation.

Energy Minister Dorin Junghietu has said that the energization allows the responsible teams to test the work of the entire route, the protection equipment, the control systems and the behavior of the installations under real operating conditions.

“On July 22, we took another step that we have been waiting for many years: the 400 kV Vulcanesti–Chisinau overhead power line has been energized up to the Chisinau Electrical Substation. For those outside the energy system, it may seem like just a technical stage. For us, however, it is one of the most important checks before the line enters commercial operation. Energization allows us to test the functioning of the entire route, the protection equipment, the control systems, and the behavior of the installations under real operating conditions. It is the moment when thousands of hours of design, construction and testing are verified as a single system,” the minister said.

The energy minister emphasized that this project is not just 157 kilometers of power line, but the ability to transport energy directly from Romania to the center of Moldova, without the vulnerabilities of the old infrastructure. It means a safer, more resilient power system that is better connected to the European market, Junghietu noted.

After the full energization stage of the power line, the final tests and checks will follow before it is put into commercial operation.

The Vulcanesti–Chisinau line is called by the authorities “the energy independence line,” as it is expected to provide Moldova with its own energy transmission infrastructure between the south and the center of the country, reducing the vulnerabilities of the power system.

The actual construction works on the Vulcanesti–Chisinau overhead power line started in April 2024 and are part of the Power System Development Project, financed by the World Bank Group. Its value is 61 million euros, of which about 27 million euros is allocated for the construction of the line.

The line has a total length of 157 km, crosses 35 localities in eight districts, and connects the 400 kV Vulcanesti Electrical Substation with the 330 kV Chisinau Electrical Substation. It will be able to transport up to 630 MVA of power, equivalent to over 50 per cent of the country’s required consumption during peak periods.

The construction of the Vulcanesti–Chisinau power line is a project of strategic importance for Moldova’s energy security. The new power line will allow the transmission of electricity from Romania or other European markets to Chisinau without passing through the Moldovan Power Plant located in the Transnistrian region.