Over 22,000 apartments in Bălți municipality will benefit from ore qualitative and safer heating services due to the EU support
Republic of Moldova will benefit from a grant worth 2 million euro for the modernization of the thermal energy supply system in Bălți due to the support of the Eastern Europe Energy Efficiency and Environment Partnership (E5P), with European Union as its largest contributor, and the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD).
The thermal energy supply system of Bălți municipality will be improved. In this regard, on October 5, 2022, the Ministry of Infrastructure and Regional Development, J.S.C. “CET-Nord” and the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development signed a grant agreement to implement the project “Thermal Energy System of Bălți Municipality Phase II”.
In total, the Eastern Europe Energy Efficiency and Environment Partnership (E5P) offered the Republic of Moldova about 48 million euro for the implementation of phases I and II of this project. The contribution of the EU member-states for the implementation of phase I and II was approximately of 18.52 million euro. The European Union is the biggest contributor, with 29 million euro (phases I and II). At the same time, the Republic of Moldova also contributes to Eastern Europe Energy Efficiency and Environment Partnership (E5P) with approximately 1 million euro.
Approximately 37,000 people from Bălți benefit from this project Beneficiaries of the project. The initiative will generate energy savings of up to 117,000 megawatts hours a year, help saving 11,000 cubic meters of water and reduce CO2 emissions by up to 23,000 tonnes per year.
Andrei Spînu, Deputy Prime Minister, Minister of Infrastructure and Regional Development, mentioned: “Now, when the energy situation is going through a transition period, while the investments in the sector were kept at a minimum level along these years, we must reorient our strategy and make this sector more resilient and making sure to bring savings into the citizen’s pockets. It is gratifying that, step by step, we manage to invest in new technologies, so that people are more satisfied with the conditions and services they receive from the thermal energy suppliers”.
Jānis Mažeiks, the Ambassador of the European Union to the Republic of Moldova, stated: “Considering the challenges currently faced by the citizens of the Republic of Moldova in the energy sector, the initiative on urban heating in Bălți is an important one for the people. At the same time, it aims to reduce the consumption of natural gas, electricity, water and will improve the reliability and quality of urban heating services. We are convinced that this initiative will have a significant demonstrative effect for other cities in Moldova, showing how the energy efficiency of buildings can be improved, the level of related services can be increased and how environmental benefits can be achieved”.
The project “Thermal Energy System of Bălți Municipality Phase II” is aimed at: increasing the quality of the service provided to the residents of Bălți municipality by restoring the domestic hot water supply system; development of the horizontal distribution system inside the housing blocks; optimization of operational costs; increasing the operating life of machinery and equipment; reduction of thermal energy losses, etc.
Thus, the allocated money will be used for improving the horizontal networks in over 296 buildings and for the delivery and installation of individual heating substations in 166 buildings in Bălți municipality. At the same time, the project includes the construction of heat collectors and the implementation of heat distribution, modernization of the water treatment facilities to ensure reliable and automated operations, and will introduce digitalization aspects to ensure the rapid detection of any heat agent leaks or equipment failures.
The project will be implemented by the Project Implementation Unit established by the J.S.C. “CET-Nord”. The implementation of the project is planned for the period of 2022-2024.
About the Eastern Europe Energy Efficiency and Environment Partnership (E5P):
E5P facilitates investments in energy efficiency and environmental projects. Active in Moldova and other Eastern Partnership countries, E5P is financed by the European Union, the largest donor, the Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, Germany, Lithuania, Norway, republic of Moldova, Poland, Romania, Slovak Republic and Sweden.
