A number of 50,000 households with the highest vulnerability degree as from November 23 can benefit from financial assistance to replace old electrical appliances with new, energy-efficient ones as part of the “Scrappage for Household Appliances” program that is financial supported by the EU and is implemented with the technical assistance of UNDP Moldova, IPN reports.
Minister of Energy Victor Parlicov said that not enough attention was devoted so far to power consumption. The given project comes to tackle the problem of energy efficiency and offers support to those who are in extreme difficulty. The projects marks Moldova’s transition to a circular economy as it imposes the obligation to recycle old domestic appliances.
EU Ambassador to Moldova Janis Mazeiks said the decarbonization of the energy system is essential for achieving the climate goals. The EU applies ecological deign measures for such products as refrigerators, washing machines, dishwashers and TV sets, which stipulate special repair and recycling conditions. This way, a contribution is made to extending the life of electrical appliances and to recycling these. Now that Moldova advances on its European path, the Moldovan citizens should become part of the objective to reduce environmental pollution.
UNDP Resident Representative to the Republic of Moldova Daniela Gasparikova said the goal of the program is ambitious. 50,000 vulnerable families in the country will get vouchers to reduce their electricity bills by replacing old electrical appliances with new, energy-efficient equipment.
Alexandru Filimon, director of a network of stores that will help to implement the program, said that the program has a number of effects, such as the improvement of the quality of life and raising of the people’s awareness of ecology, recycling and energy responsibility. The company already implements a similar program to recycle old household appliances with own funds.
Beneficiaries are chosen from among the persons who applied for energy compensations in 2022. They will be informed gradually, either by SMS, e-mail or phone, about the availability of vouchers in their personal accounts on the compensatii.gov.md platform. They will receive financial support, by way of vouchers, of up to 80% of the cost of a refrigerator, electric stove, or washing machine. Beneficiaries will contribute 20% of the value of the equipment. In order to redeem the voucher, the beneficiary will have to exchange a used electrical appliance of the same type. The value of a voucher is of up to 12,000 lei.
