30.8 million euros from an EIB loan for the Moldova-Romania electricity interconnection project will be redirected to co-finance the construction of the 400 kV Balti-Suceava power line
This is provided for by the Moldovan government-ratified Amendment No. 2 to the financing agreement between Moldova and the European Investment Bank for the interconnection of the electricity grids of Moldova and Romania, signed in Chisinau on December 20, 2017. The previous agreement provided for the allocation of these funds by the EIB to finance the construction of a back-to-back power plant in Vulcanesti with a capacity of up to 600 MW, but this is no longer possible following Moldova's synchronization with the European energy network ENTSO-E. Thus, thanks to the signed Amendment No. 2 to the financing agreement between Moldova and the EIB, the loan of €30.8 million will be reallocated to the construction of the 400 kV Balti-Suceava overhead power line. All work must be carried out on the basis of technical and economic feasibility studies that have demonstrated the economic efficiency of the project. The Ministry of Energy emphasizes that the implementation of this project will contribute to the consolidation of the national power system, create the necessary conditions for the integration of renewable energy sources into the national grid, and promote the expansion of the electricity market at the EU level. The Ministry noted that Amendment No. 2 does not change the financial terms of the financing agreement between Moldova and the EIB and will enter into force after ratification by parliament and official notification by the EIB of the completion of all necessary internal procedures. It will finance not only the construction of the 400 kV Balti-Suceava power line, but also the expansion and modernization of the 400 kV Balti power plant, the reconstruction of existing internal power transmission networks, and technical assistance in the form of project advice, including supervision and design. The total cost of the project is €77 million. The European Investment Bank and the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development are allocating €30.8 million each (40% of the total project cost) for its implementation, and another €15.4 million (20% of the project cost) will be provided by the European Union in the form of a grant through the Neighborhood Investment Platform. Earlier, it was reported that the construction of the Balti-Suceava power line had been recognized as a project of national importance in Moldova. The length of the 400 kV Balti-Suceava power line in our country will be about 48 km. A total of 157 pylons will be installed. The power line will pass through 12 settlements in Moldova. The Balti-Suceava power line is one of three 400 kV power lines that will be built to strengthen the connection with the European energy system ENTSO-E. These are the Vulcanesti-Chisinau power line, which will be completed in 2025, the Balti-Suceava power line, which is expected to be completed in 2027, and the Straseni-Gutinas power line, which is to be completed by 2030. // 24.06.2025 — InfoMarket.
