Vulcănești–Chișinău Power Line: defective equipment at Chișinău substation repaired

Energy Minister Dorin Junghietu announced today that the defective equipment identified at the Chișinău Substation, which is part of the Vulcănești–Chișinău Power Line construction project, has been repaired in Spain and is scheduled to be shipped to the Republic of Moldova this week.

According to the official, after the equipment arrives in the country, the contractor will need approximately four to five more weeks to integrate it and carry out the necessary tests.


“I received information at the end of last week that the equipment sent to Spain for repairs has been completed and that this week it will be packed and sent by land to the Republic of Moldova. Once it arrives, the contractor will need approximately four to five weeks for integration. The installation does not take long, but all the integration tests for the substation require more effort,” Dorin Junghietu said.


The Energy Minister emphasized that the Vulcănești–Chișinău Power Line will eliminate the last structural dependency in the national electricity system. The minister noted that the line is complete and has been tested, but the works at the Chișinău Substation still need to be finalized.


“The line is complete and was tested under voltage, without load, on June 21–22. The Vulcănești Substation was also tested and accepted. We are now waiting for the contractors to finalize the works at the Chișinău Substation so that it can be commissioned,” Dorin Junghietu said.


Construction works on the Vulcănești–Chișinău overhead power line began in April 2024 and are part of the Electricity System Development Project, financed by the World Bank Group. The project is worth 61 million euros, of which approximately 27 million euros are allocated for the construction of the line.

The infrastructure of the line itself was completed as early as November last year, ahead of schedule, and was also energized up to the Chișinău Substation. However, the commercial commissioning of the entire project requires the completion of all works at the Chișinău Substation, including the testing and energization of the associated equipment.

The line is 157 kilometers long, crosses 35 localities in eight districts, and connects the 400 kV Vulcănești Substation with the 330 kV Chișinău Substation. It will be able to transmit up to 630 MVA of power, equivalent to more than 50% of the country’s electricity consumption during peak periods.

The construction of the Vulcănești–Chișinău Power Line is a strategically important project for the country’s energy security. The new power line will enable electricity to be transmitted from Romania or other European markets to Chișinău without passing through the Moldovan Power Plant, located in the Transnistrian region.