A Roadmap for energy market reforms agreed and support to Moldova reaffirmed by the European Commission at the 5th EU-Moldova High-Level Energy Dialogue

The fifth EU-Moldova High Level Energy Dialogue, held today in Chișinău, gave both sides the opportunity to reaffirm their commitment to deepening cooperation in the energy sector. The event was chaired by the European Commissioner for Energy, Kadri SIMSON, and Energy Minister, Victor PARLICOV.

During the discussions, the Minister mentioned that Moldova intends to intensify efforts for the full implementation of the Energy Community acquis as a key priority, in particular the transposition and full implementation of the Clean Energy Package and the Electricity Integration Package, enabling Moldova’s integration into the EU internal electricity market, as well as further gas market opening and liberalisation. In this sense, the Republic of Moldova, the European Commission and the Secretariat of the Energy Community have agreed to commit to a joint Roadmap for further reforms in the energy sector of the Republic of Moldova, covering electricity, gas, renewable energy and energy efficiency.

In order to increase energy security of the country, the possibility of increasing the electricity import capacity from the Continental European Network and increasing the physical reverse flow capacity of the Trans-Balkan gas pipeline was discussed.

The Republic of Moldova has also committed to accelerate the development of electricity interconnections, with an emphasis on the timely construction of the 400 kV Vulcănești-Chișinău and Bălți-Suceava 400 kV overhead power lines and will proceed with the third 400 kV Strășeni interconnection – Romania. Moldova will also explore the possibility of proposing the 400 kV Bălți-Suceava interconnection for the EU list of projects of mutual interest, as well as the third power line.

At the same time, the European Commission reiterated its commitment to support Moldova in further energy sector reforms and the development of its energy infrastructure, including by seeking to allocate up to EUR 10 million to the Residential Energy Efficiency Fund in its first year of functioning and another EUR 3 million for technical assistance of the National Centre for Sustainable Energy (NCSE), which should be the national focal point for the country’s energy efficiency needs, including in the residential sector, and a trusted institution.

At the same time, the European Commission will support Moldova to reach net zero by 2050 by expanding the electrification process, as well as the efficiency of the energy sector by digitizing critical infrastructure, optimising processes and capitalising on energy efficiency, promoting the use of green technologies (battery storage, heat pumps, smart meters, increased use of electric vehicles, etc.) and attracting financing to the sector.