Investments of 326 million lei to modernize heating systems in Chișinău and 17 million euros for those in Bălți

The Ministry of Energy has launched an extensive program to modernize heating systems in apartment buildings in Chișinău and Bălți. In Chișinău municipality alone, investments amount to 326 million euros, while a project worth 17 million euros is planned for Bălți municipality.

Through this program, outdated vertical heat distribution systems inherited from the Soviet period are being replaced with modern, more efficient horizontal systems. This means that each apartment included in the program will have its own meter, and residents will pay for the heat they actually consume.

To ensure that these investments are completed within the established timeframe, the Government approved two draft laws today, one for each municipality, under which the modernization works for the district heating systems in Chișinău and Bălți will be declared public utilities of national interest. The measure creates the necessary legal framework for continuing and accelerating investments in heating infrastructure, including heating networks and the interiors of residential buildings.

In Chișinău, the provisions concern works carried out under the project Optimization of the Centralized Heating System (OSACET), known as Warm Home. The project, with a total value of approximately 326 million euros, provides for the modernization of heating infrastructure, the installation of 2,510 individual heating substations, the transition of 1,665 apartment buildings to horizontal heat distribution, pilot thermal insulation projects, the rehabilitation of primary heating networks, and the construction of two pumping stations.

In Bălți, the modernization of the thermal energy system is being carried out under the project Thermal Energy System of Bălți Municipality (CET-Nord) – Phase II, financed by the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development. The works provide for the modernization and replacement of heating networks and installations, the installation of individual heating substations, and the modernization of common thermal energy distribution systems, including those in apartment buildings.

Declaring the projects to be public utilities of national interest allows for the application of legal and administrative procedures adapted to the scale of the investments and the large number of apartment buildings and other properties concerned. At the same time, owners will be informed in advance about the works to be carried out, their duration, and their impact on the property, while any interventions carried out during the works will be compensated in accordance with the law.

“We need these laws because the works are currently facing a deadlock. Energy legislation allows for the modernization of the systems, but interventions in the common areas and installations of apartment buildings may be conditional on obtaining the consent of the co-owners. Given the scale of these investments, this procedure could significantly delay the works. We are talking about more than 1,700 apartment buildings in Chișinău and nearly 300 buildings in Bălți. Without a clear legal solution, we risk missing the implementation deadlines and failing to meet the commitments undertaken through the financing agreements. The proposed projects establish a temporary right of access and execution of the works strictly necessary for modernization. This applies exclusively to the interventions provided for in the two investment projects,” Energy Minister Dorin Junghietu said.

Access will be limited to the properties and works necessary for the duration of the interventions, with as little impact as possible on residents. Owners will be informed in advance, and any damage caused by the works will be fully compensated.

For consumers, modernization means greater control over thermal energy consumption, reduced network losses, and improved comfort in their homes. Estimates show that energy efficiency measures could help reduce thermal energy consumption by up to 30%. At the same time, individual regulation of thermal energy consumption allows consumers to manage their usage more efficiently and pay according to the energy actually used, thereby contributing to energy savings.

By supporting the two draft laws, the Government is creating the conditions for investments in the district heating systems of the country’s largest municipalities to be carried out more quickly, with direct benefits for households that use centralized thermal energy supply services.