Works of construction of Vulcanesti - Chisinau power line advance over distance of 100 km, with more than 300 pylon foundations completed

The works of construction of the Vulcanesti - Chisinau Overhead Power Line (OPL) are progressing and presently, the site extends over a distance of over 100 km, with more than 300 foundations completed and a total project progress of over 60 percent. Minister of Energy Dorin Junghietu has unveiled details to this effect  at the TV show 'Punctul pe azi' on TVR Moldova.

‘’Moldova inherited an electricity transport infrastructure that has developed, but not sufficiently. For better integration into the European market, we need interconnections. At the moment, the Vulcanesti-Chisinau line project is progressing very well. We already have a progress of over 60 percent for the entire project. We have more than 300 foundations completed and 100 pylons almost ready. We are working on the line over a distance of more than 100 km,’’ said the minister.

Dorin Junghietu specified that decision-makers would soon also advance with other works on this project, so that the line is completed by the end of this year.

‘’We are doing everything it is up to us and to all our teams; I have weekly meetings with all contractors, with all teams. Everyone is engaged and makes all necessary efforts to achieve this goal, to have the line energized by the end of the year,’’ said the energy minister.

The minister explained that this power line would allow Moldova to transport electricity without passing through the MGRES (Kuchurgan power station) power knot, thus removing potential vulnerabilities and strengthening energy independence.

‘’In the current configuration of the Isaccea-Vulcanesti-Chisinau line, the line passes through the MGRES power plant, which is a vulnerability for us. Once the new line is put into operation, it will completely remove this vulnerability. There will no longer be a risk that Tiraspol will wake up one night and shut off the switch,’’ Dorin Junghietu noted.

Also, the Minister of Energy informed that the route through which the Balti-Suceava power line would pass had been finalized. At the same time, the company due to supervise the execution of this project has been established and the tender book is given the final touches.

‘’We estimate that, by next autumn, we will even launch the tender for the implementation of this project. The initial project foresees that the line will be completed and put into operation by late 2027, but as things progress, we will identify additional measures to shorten the deadlines and have the line completed much earlier,’’ the minister emphasized.

The construction works of the Vulcanesti – Chisinau OPL effectively 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 for the construction of the line.

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