Energoatom will supply electricity to Moldova at night, when the load on the power system in Ukraine is minimal.
Points of attention
- Ukraine will supply electricity to Moldova at night to overcome the deficit and ensure energy stability.
- Moldova's dependence on electricity imports from Romania and Ukraine has increased due to changes in the gas market and electricity generation.
- The state of emergency in Moldova's energy sector was declared after the cessation of Russian gas supplies, impacting Moldova and Transnistria.
- Efforts are being made to secure additional electricity capacity for Moldova, as its power grid faces challenges meeting the country's energy needs.
- The energy market on both banks of the Dniester has undergone significant changes, with Moldova and Transnistria implementing measures to address electricity and gas shortages.
What is known about Ukraine's assistance to Moldova with electricity supplies?
As representatives of the Moldovan company Energocom noted , Ukraine is ready to transfer to the country the nightly surplus of electricity generated in the network.
This surplus appears at night thanks to the operation of Ukrainian nuclear power plants and is sent for export.
The electricity supply capacity on the border of Romania and Moldova is limited to 315 MW, while Moldova's needs are 650-800 MW.
Energocom is ordering additional capacity at auctions with neighboring countries.
Most of Moldova's electricity needs, i.e. 62%, will be covered by imports from Romania.
In January, thermal power plants (TPPs) in Chisinau and Bălți are expected to produce over 127,000 MWh, accounting for about 28% of Moldova's total electricity consumption.
In December 2024, the Moldovan parliament declared a state of emergency in the energy sector due to a possible interruption of Russian gas supplies. Moldova had been sending this gas to Transnistria, while the rest of the territory was purchasing gas on EU markets.
What is known about the situation in Moldova amid electricity shortages due to the cessation of generation from the Transnistrian Republic of Moldova?
With the cessation of Russian gas transit through the territory of Ukraine, the region of unrecognized Transnistria suffered the most.
Moldova received 5.7 million cubic meters of gas per day, but all the gas went to Transnistria, where it was enough for domestic consumption and electricity generation.
In connection with this, a state of emergency has been in effect in Moldova since December 16.
The Transnistrian authorities have also declared an economic emergency in the region. The situation on the energy market on both banks of the Dniester has changed significantly.
According to Energocom, right-bank Moldova is fully supplied with electricity as of January 1: 45% of supplies will come from local production (CHP, as well as renewable energy sources), 52% from neighboring Romania, and another 3% from the Ukrainian Energoatom.
According to data from the state-owned enterprise Moldelectrica, Termoelectrica has launched CHP-1, which was previously not operating, on January 1. During the day, it produces about 6 MW, while CHP-2 produces about 174-175 MW. Electricity consumption today, January 1, is below planned.
Meanwhile, the separatist region of Transnistria announced gas conservation measures, including cutting off gas supplies to a number of social facilities.
Moldovan GRES has switched from gas to coal. Methane refueling at gas stations is limited and available only to vehicles serving public needs.
The Moldavian DRES and Dubossary HPP, located in Transnistria, produced about 113 MW on January 1, but there is a possibility of increasing generation if consumption increases.
Transnistria's gas reserves amount to 13 million cubic meters. This volume should be enough for 10 days for the northern regions and 20 days for the southern regions of Transnistria.
Even after the transit through Ukraine was stopped, Gazprom still had the opportunity to fulfill its contractual obligations by supplying gas via the Trans-Balkan Pipeline. This pipeline would allow gas to be transported to Turkey, the Balkans, and Central European countries, bypassing Ukraine. But it did not do so because it is using gas supplies to Moldova for blackmail.
