Moldova warns of power price hikes as Danube levels drop
Moldova faces potential electricity price increases if procurement costs on regional markets continue to surpass levels embedded in current tariffs, President Maia Sandu warned during a television broadcast.
Dwindling water levels on the Danube River are severely limiting regional hydroelectric generation, restricting the power supplies Moldova relies on for imports. Officials are urging citizens to trim electricity usage during peak hours to avoid rolling blackouts.
Regional drought pressures power grid
The energy strain stems from an ongoing drought and extreme heatwave across Southeastern Europe. State institutions and energy suppliers are working to secure market volumes, but high spot-market prices threaten financial stability.
Utilities are legally obligated to purchase available power even at inflated rates to cover deficits. Planned rolling outages will only be deployed as a last resort if market electricity becomes entirely unavailable.
State of emergency remains active
Moldova has been under a 30-day state of alert in its energy and hydrological sectors since July 28. The measure follows supply chain disruptions for petroleum products and critically low water levels along the Nistru River.
Energy Minister Dorin Junghietu echoed calls for conservation, noting that soaring heatwave demand coincided with constrained hydropower capacity. Authorities emphasized that severe drought and climate-driven energy pressures are set to become increasingly frequent regional challenges.
Translation by Iurie Tataru
