President's message at launch event of Vulcănești–Chișinău power line project

Dear Commissioner Marta Kos, 

Your Excellencies, 

Minister, 

Dear partners and colleagues,

During the first 30 years of independence, the Republic of Moldova invested too little in energy interconnections. And our dependence on a limited number of supply sources and routes came at a cost.

Every time Moldova dared to choose something other than what Moscow wanted, we were threatened with being left without electricity and heat. And there were periods when we were cut off from energy supplies. The last time this happened was in the autumn of 2021.

The need for an electricity line that would connect us directly to the Romanian market has been discussed for more than a decade. The first steps were taken in 2013, and only in September 2019 did the Government I led approve the World Bank financing agreement, worth 61 million euros, for the construction of the line.

Initially, the project was scheduled for completion in August 2024. However, the deadlines were extended, including because of Russia’s war against Ukraine, which affected the availability and delivery processes for the equipment.

The construction of the electricity line was completed in November 2025, followed by technical testing, safety checks, and acceptance procedures. The Vulcănești substation was ready in June 2026, while the Chișinău substation began testing several weeks ago.

Meanwhile, the synchronization of our power system with the European grid in March 2022 made it possible to abandon the construction of the back-to-back converter station, which is no longer necessary.

The 400 kV Vulcănești–Chișinău electricity transmission line, together with the two modernized substations in Vulcănești and Chișinău, represents one of the most important investments in the country’s energy infrastructure. The project includes approximately 158 kilometers of transmission line and complex modernization works at the two substations.

We saw how important strategic infrastructure is when Gazprom halted gas deliveries. The Iași–Ungheni–Chișinău gas pipeline provided us with a real alternative and helped us overcome the crisis. The Vulcănești–Chișinău line is part of the same strategy. Just as the gas pipeline provided us with an alternative for gas supplies, this line provides an additional route for electricity transmission and reduces the risks of disconnection.

Through this project, we are strengthening electricity transmission capacity, diversifying supply routes, and reinforcing the Republic of Moldova’s connection to the European energy system.

For us, energy independence means being able to decide for ourselves where we buy our energy, without being vulnerable to pressure and blackmail.

I thank everyone who contributed to this important investment for the Republic of Moldova and those who supported us in this project.

The next major projects are the Bălți–Suceava electricity line and the Strășeni–Gutinaș line.

The Bălți–Suceava project has a total value of approximately 77 million euros. It is financed from resources provided by the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development and the European Investment Bank, as well as through a 15-million-euro grant offered by the European Union. Thank you!

The Strășeni–Gutinaș line will be built with the support of the United States of America, which approved a grant last year to support the construction of this line. Both investments will strengthen energy connections with Romania and the European energy system.

We are also developing interconnections with Ukraine in order to create a more resilient regional energy system. At the same time, we are continuing to invest in local energy production from renewable sources and in the modernization of the networks.

In recent years, the Republic of Moldova has made significant progress in strengthening its energy security.

On the other hand, significant increases in the prices of energy resources on external markets, driven by wars, climate change, and regional crises, have led to higher costs for consumers in our country. In these circumstances, the Government provided support, with contributions from the EU and other partners, to the most vulnerable groups. This winter, too, energy costs are high for households in the Republic of Moldova. This winter, too, the Government must allocate resources to reduce the burden of tariffs.

I am confident that, in the medium term, the global energy market will stabilize and prices will return to normal levels, while our investments in renewable energy and energy efficiency will help reduce energy costs.

For now, however, we have managed to solve a major problem. No one can blackmail us anymore, turn off our light or heat.

 

Thank you!