The Rabla pentru Electrocasnice program was launched in Moldova with a total budget of $5.8 million, under which, with the support of the European Union, 50,000 vulnerable families will receive vouchers to replace old household appliances.
The Rabla pentru Electrocasnice ("Replacing junk with household appliances") program is implemented thanks to the funding provided by the European Union through the project "Addressing the Impacts of the Energy Crisis in the Republic of Moldova", which is implemented by UNDP. Through the Rabla pentru Electrocasnice program, vulnerable families in Moldova will be able to replace outdated electrical appliances with new and energy efficient ones, thus reducing energy consumption. The first stage of the program started on November 15: free vouchers for the purchase of LED lamps will be given to about 50 thousand families. The vouchers will be provided to consumers who registered last year in the "Energy Vulnerability" information system on the platform compensatii.gov.md and who were assigned a very high category of energy vulnerability. In the beneficiary selection process, families with at least one child will be given priority, and the number of children in the family will be a significant criterion for prioritization. Electricity consumption will also be taken into account. Beneficiaries will be notified about the availability of vouchers in their personal accounts on the platform compensatii.gov.md through SMS, e-mail messages or phone calls. Beneficiaries without cell phones or internet access will be assisted by representatives of unified public service centers. "This program is an innovative example of how to make the most responsible and effective use of development partner assistance. This approach will ensure that the program can continue even after the external assistance project ends. The information system, which forms the basis of the program management, allows automatic identification of voucher beneficiaries, which eliminates human intervention in the decision-making process. This ensures transparency and impartiality in the provision of vouchers to those who really need them. Through this program, assistance is provided for the purchase of more energy-efficient appliances, which promotes responsible and sustainable use of energy resources," stressed Ion Muntean, Director of the Energy Efficiency Agency. According to some estimates, replacing a 60-watt incandescent bulb with a 10-watt LED bulb of the same brightness saves 328.5 lei per year. If a household has 5 lamps burning simultaneously for seven hours a day, after replacing them with economical LED lamps, approximately 1642.5 lei can be saved per year. The total budget of the Rabla pentru Electrocasnice program is $5.8 million. This program will provide financial assistance in the form of vouchers that will cover up to 80% of the cost of a refrigerator, electric stove, washing machine. The beneficiaries will contribute 20% of the cost of the appliance to be purchased. To use the voucher, the beneficiary will have to surrender a similar old appliance in exchange for the purchased appliance. The LED bulb vouchers are distributed free of charge and do not require a personal contribution from beneficiaries. Details about the program can be found at http://ecovoucher.md. If assistance is needed to use the voucher, the Support Center at the Energy Efficiency Agency can be contacted by calling 0 8005 5005. The Rabla pentru Electrocasnice program is implemented in partnership with the Energy Efficiency Agency. The agency is currently being reformed, and once the process is completed, it will be renamed the National Center for Sustainable Energy. // 15.11.2023 - InfoMarket.
