Prime Minister Dorin Recean admits that electricity tariffs could increase
Electricity tariffs could increase if Gazprom does not honor its obligations and does not deliver natural gas to the Transnistrian region, Prime Minister Dorin Recean said on the show "Secretele Puterii" on Jurnal TV. The Prime Minister assured the public that the government will provide additional compensation to assist citizens who may be affected by any potential increase in tariffs. However, when asked about the extent of the increase, he refrained from giving a specific figure, stating that the exact amount would be announced later.
"We will provide additional compensation to those who will be impacted. We have already allocated 2 billion lei for compensation during the cold season, and if necessary, we will increase this amount. (...) Let's avoid speculation; when the figures are finalized, we will analyze them and determine how much additional budget we need to allocate for compensation," said the Prime Minister.
Looking ahead to January 1, 2025, the Prime Minister pointed that there could be power outages, but he assured that these would be "isolated and of limited duration." He explained that such interruptions might occur only if Ukraine's energy infrastructure were to face further attacks, similar to previous instances.
"For the right bank, we have secured the necessary energy resources, specifically natural gas. In terms of electricity, we can import from Romania and other European countries. We may experience interruptions only if the energy infrastructure in Ukraine is compromised, particularly the segment of the Isaccea-Vulcănești-Chișinău high-voltage line that traverses Ukraine. We will need to reconnect to alternative lines supplying electricity from Romania. Any disconnections would occur only during these critical times," Dorin Recean explained.
When asked about the consequences if the Cuciurgan power plant were to cease operations, the Prime Minister stated that they would maximize domestic production capacity based on the resources available to the Republic of Moldova.
"We will establish island connections on four rings with Romania, which will provide us with approximately 30 percent of our needs. We will use the 330 kV high-voltage line from Bălți to the CHE Dnestrovsk, which has been frequently bombed. Additionally, we plan to utilize the gas we purchase to generate electricity at the Cuciurgan power plant for balancing purposes. This will involve higher costs, but it is essential for ensuring peace and stability in our country," the Prime Minister concluded.
We remind you that the Parliament of the Republic of Moldova has declared a state of emergency in the energy sector for 60 days. While Chisinau has confirmed that the right bank of the Nistru has adequate natural gas reserves for the winter, the situation in the Transnistrian region remains uncertain. Moldovan officials have emphasized their commitment to finding solutions to support citizens on the left bank of the Nistru, if Gazprom decides to halt deliveries.
