Moldova prepares for an energy emergency: how the lights will be turned off
Kyiv • UNN
The Government of Moldova has developed an action plan in case of an energy emergency due to the suspension of gas transit from the Russian Federation through Ukraine. The plan identifies "vital" institutions that will not be disconnected from the power supply.
The Government of Moldova has prepared an action plan in case of the introduction of a state of emergency in the energy sector due to the future termination of the transit of Russian gas through Ukraine. On December 16, the Prime Minister of the country, Dorin Reșan, plans to address the parliament with a request to introduce a state of emergency in the energy sector. This is reported by UNN with reference to NewsMaker.
Details
The action plan in case of emergencies in the energy sector of Moldova provides that hospitals, the airport, national television, as well as the parliament, government and the administration of the president will become "vital" institutions that cannot be disconnected from electricity.
"Critical consumers are end consumers who must be provided with electricity as a priority, depending on technical capabilities. The rest of the consumers who are not in this category are provided with electricity on equal and non-discriminatory terms, to the extent that the technical capabilities of the system operators allow. But their power grids can be disconnected in exceptional situations in the energy sector", the project states.
According to the document, the authorities will compile lists of vital institutions. These include hospitals, the National Center for Pre-Hospital Emergency Medical Care, the National Blood Transfusion Center, orphanages, kindergartens, energy facilities, dispatch centers for water, gas and heat suppliers.
The list will also include the buildings of the government, parliament, the administration of the president, the Ministry of Internal Affairs, the Ministry of Defense, the Information and Security Service, the Customs Service and the General Inspectorate for Emergency Situations. The airport, the "Railway", national television, and urban electric power supply stations will also not be left without electricity.
The government will consider the project at a meeting on December 11.
Reminder
The Prime Minister of the country, Dorin Reșan, intends to address the parliament on December 16 with a request to introduce a state of emergency in the energy sector due to the termination of the transit agreement between Russia and Ukraine on December 31.
Moldova receives gas from Russia under a contract that is valid until the end of October 2026. Since the fall of 2022, Gazprom has limited gas supplies to 5.7 million cubic meters per day, which is much less than Moldova's consumption in the winter period. As a result, since the end of last year, all Russian gas has been sent to Transnistria, where it is used for electricity generation at the Moldavskaya GRES, and the rest for domestic needs.
At the end of November, Energy Minister Victor Parlicov met in St. Petersburg with Gazprom CEO Alexei Miller and discussed gas supplies to Moldova after the termination of transit through Ukraine. Afterwards, he reported that Gazprom is ready to supply gas to Transnistria via an alternative route in the event of the termination of transit through Ukraine. However, the Russian side made it clear that this issue is linked to the payment of the historical debt of Moldovagaz. Moldova recognizes the results of an international audit, which showed that the debt is $8.6 million. The Russian side does not agree with the conclusions.
The minister stressed that the risk of a gas crisis on the Left Bank of the Dniester remains quite real.
