The Parliament of the Republic of Moldova establishes a state of emergency in the energy sector to strengthen the security of energy supply

The Parliament of the Republic of Moldova has approved the establishment of a state of emergency in the energy sector for a period of 60 days, starting on March 25. The decision was supported by the majority of deputies.

The authorities state that this measure is necessary to enable rapid and coordinated interventions aimed at protecting the country’s and the population’s energy security.

Energy Infrastructure Situation

The Vulcănești–Isaccea overhead power line represents the main source of electricity imports, covering approximately 60–70% of the consumption on the right bank. Starting Wednesday, an energy deficit of about 350–400 MW is estimated during peak hours. The reconnection process is complicated by the presence of drone debris in the affected infrastructure area in Ukraine, requiring demining operations before technical teams can safely intervene.

Measures Permitted Under the State of Emergency

The establishment of the state of emergency allows authorities to swiftly adopt decisions to ensure energy resources, including through exemptions from standard procurement procedures. It also facilitates the allocation of necessary resources for the purchase of energy and emergency equipment. At the same time, the Government will be able, if necessary, to impose consumption rationing measures and special rules for economic agents, in order to protect critical infrastructure and essential institutions.

Alternative Sources and System Stability

Currently, consumers in the Republic of Moldova are supplied with electricity from both domestic sources and imports carried out through alternative routes, including the four 110 kV interconnection lines with Romania. These have been previously tested and have proven their effectiveness, including during the outages of January 31, caused by attacks on energy infrastructure in Ukraine.

Ongoing Measures and Recommendations

The authorities urge the population to reduce energy consumption, especially during peak hours, and to rely only on official sources of information. Meanwhile, technical teams continue to monitor the situation and carry out field inspections to repair the damage and restore the normal functioning of the energy system under safe conditions.