VIDEO // Sun becomes energy source in Mereni commune, Anenii Noi, with EU support

Mereni residents will soon benefit from their own electricity produced by the photovoltaic station, built with non-reimbursable support from the European Union. The photovoltaic park will be operational by the end of November.

European Union Ambassador to Chisinau Iwona Piorko visited Mereni photovoltaic park on Saturday and wished the local authorities success in implementing the project.



The project also involves installing smart public lighting with sensors and a remote management system, video cameras, and an automated irrigation mechanism for the sports stadium. Additionally, workshops and campaigns will be organized to actively engage citizens in adopting smart solutions.

Under the EU-funded project, five localities were selected, including the village of Mereni. Each community benefits from grants of up to 1.5 million lei for smart projects and about 3 million lei for the construction of photovoltaic parks. These investments are offered under the project EU4Moldova Resilience: Secure State, Strong Communities, funded by the European Union and implemented by the Solidarity Fund PL in Moldova.

Besides these investments, in each of the five localities, a photovoltaic park with a capacity of up to 200 kW is built and connected to the electricity grid, aimed at significantly reducing electricity costs and contributing to the energy independence of the communities.


"Besides the actual grants, the municipalities have benefited from specialized training with international experts and study visits to Spain and Estonia. These experiences provided them with the necessary tools to develop and implement smart village strategies tailored to local needs for the coming years. We trust that this integrated approach will have a real impact on the residents of these localities," said Xenia Marcov, responsible for this component within the Solidarity Fund PL in Moldova.


On 17 October, the collaboration with the five localities that will implement Smart Villages concept, namely Lozova (Strășeni), Mereni (Anenii Noi), Coșnița (Dubăsari), Sipoteni (Călărași) and Larga (Briceni) was officially launched.

In Larga commune, Briceni district, the project aims to modernize the Cultural Center by installing an infrared radiant panel heating system, LED lighting, blinds for energy consumption optimization, and heat recovery ventilation systems in social institutions. There are also planned investments in efficient public lighting, video surveillance in public areas, speed radars, and lighting at pedestrian crossings.

The authorities in Coșnița commune, Dubăsari district have focused on modernizing the waste management system. The locality will benefit from a new truck for waste collection and compaction, equipped with GPS and a video camera. Additionally, 500 bins for selective plastic collection will be installed — a measure that will reduce pollution and improve transport logistics.

In Sipoteni, Călărași district, interventions address the critical needs of the community. Citizens have limited access to drinking water, and the local municipality plans to install four water filtration stations. Additionally, intelligent lighting poles will be installed in this locality, and four modern public transport waiting stations equipped with real-time information panels will be arranged.

And in Lozova commune, Strășeni district, five modern solar-powered weather stations will be installed to help farmers better adapt to climate changes and improve agricultural production.