The construction of a 600 MW back-to-back converter station in Vulcanesti is no longer technically and economically justified, - WB study.
This is the conclusion of the World Bank study, presented on Friday at a round table at the Ministry of Infrastructure and Regional Development. The study assesses the feasibility of investing in the construction of a 600 MW back-to-back substation in Vulcanesti, given that its main advantage of integration with the single European electricity market disappeared simultaneously with the urgent synchronization of the electricity systems of Ukraine and Moldova with the European continental energy system ENTSO-E. The analysis showed that the potential benefit from the construction of the substation does not exceed the costs, therefore, the implementation of the project is not justified. At the same time, the authors of the study argue that alternative investments in the construction of a new high-voltage transmission line Balti-Suceava with a capacity of 400 kW will play a significant role in ensuring the security of electricity supply. The need and importance of further construction of the Chisinau-Vulcanesti power line with a capacity of 400 kW was also confirmed, regardless of the presence or absence of a back-to-back station. During the discussions, Secretary of State for Energy Constantin Borosan emphasized that the current circumstances at the regional level have accelerated synchronization with the European energy system and in this context it is necessary to identify a technical alternative to the back-to-back station in Vulcanesti, the construction of which is no longer economically justified. “This will allow us to redistribute investments for the implementation of other important energy security projects,” Borosan stressed. Recall that the construction of a back-to-back converter station in Vulcanesti was planned as part of the I stage of the project "Interconnection of the electricity networks of Moldova and Romania" worth 260 million lei, simultaneously with the construction of a power line Vulcanesti-Chisinau with a length of 158 km. A contract for the construction of a high-voltage transmission line Vulcanesti-Chisinau worth 27 million euros has already been signed with the Indian company KEC International. Its construction is expected to be completed in 2024. //04.11.2022 – InfoMarket.
