Moldova and Romania signed a memorandum of agreement on the implementation of projects to connect the natural gas and electricity networks of the two countries.
The document was signed on December 11 in Chisinau by the energy ministers of the two countries, Victor Parlicov and Sebastian Burduja. As noted in the Ministry of Energy of Moldova, the memorandum provides for the possibility of increasing the throughput of natural gas transportation and expanding the Iasi-Ungheni-Chisinau gas pipeline through the construction of the Chisinau Belt gas transport pipeline by the end of 2031. In addition, the development of the natural gas storage system in Romania will be supported by increasing the natural gas storage capacity at the Sârmăşel storage facility and/or the construction of a new storage facility at Fălticeni. In the context of the recent synchronization of Moldova's electricity system with the European network of transmission system operators ENTSO-E, in the field of electricity, the memorandum provides for the construction of a new 400 kV transmission line Suceava-Balti, the expansion of the Suceava 400 kV station and the Balti 400 kV station, the construction of a 400 kV transmission line between Straseni and power plant on Romanian territory created by Transelectrica, as well as the development of the existing 110 kV line Husi-Cioara. Also, the memorandum will provide conditions for the appointment of OPCOM (Romania) as the operator of the electricity market in Moldova, including the designated operator of the electricity market. This will ensure the integration of the Moldovan market with the EU internal electricity market. In turn, the state-owned enterprise Moldelectrica will have to integrate into the balancing market managed by the Romanian company Transelectrica. Cross-border trading processes for balancing electricity and system services should be established through Moldelectrica's access to the balancing market and the market for system technology services managed by Transelectrica. It is planned that the promotion of investment projects provided for in the memorandum will increase the security of energy supplies to Moldova and Romania, and will also contribute to the diversification of sources and supply routes at the regional level. Victor Parlicov, during the signing ceremony of the memorandum, recalled that cooperation between Moldova and Romania in energy and other areas has significantly strengthened, and the document signed today stipulates the actions of the parties to further deepen and expand it and materialize the political commitments of the two parties to continue cooperation to strengthen the security of energy supplies and unification of the energy markets of the two countries. Victor Parlicov explained that Moldova intends to become a member of the European Union, and is at the beginning of this path, but thanks to the measures taken with Romania, it can accelerate this process and become a member of the common energy market of the European Union through interconnection with Romania in the field of natural gas and electricity before Moldova will formally become a member of the EU. The head of the Ministry of Energy of Moldova said that the memorandum provides for the implementation of specific projects by Moldova and Romania to connect the natural gas and electricity networks of the two countries, and stipulates new actions that the parties will take to connect Moldova to the energy market of Romania and the EU as a whole. In turn, Sebastian Burduja said that Romania will help Moldova get rid of energy blackmail and have sufficient volumes of electricity and natural gas for economic development. He noted that Romania is increasing the production and export of electricity, and also has solid reserves of its own natural gas in the amount of 3.1 billion cubic meters and can share it if necessary to cover the needs of Moldova and diversify sources of supply. Sebastian Burduja said that Transelectrica will soon announce a competition for the preparation of a feasibility study for the construction of the Suceava-Balti power line, and the construction of this power line could be completed by 2027. // 11.12.2023 — InfoMarket.
