The vulnerability of Moldova’s energy sector is due to the dependence on the imports of natural gas and electric power, the old infrastructure and tariffs determined by the economic conditions, stated the expert of the Institute for Development and Social Initiative “Viitorul” Ion Tăbârță, noting Moldova’s accession to the European Energy Community is a solution to the problems faced in the energy sector, IPN reports.
In the “Informative Bulletin: Energy security of the Republic of Moldova between past and future”, Ion Tăbârță says the commitments that would be undertaken as a member of the European Energy Community would lead to the diversification of the electricity supply sources, de-monopolization and liberalization of the energy market, separation of activities in the energy sector, renovation and modernization of infrastructure, setting of non-discriminatory tariffs for consumers.
According to the expert, after the Association Agreement with the EU was signed, Moldova achieved good results in transposing the European directives to the national legislation, adopting a number of laws in the energy sector. However, delays are witnessed in adopting sector laws in the energy sector, such as the law on oil. Moldova’s energy sector will be reformed and modernized when the functionality of these laws is ensured, with the Government and the National Agency for Energy Regulation being the main responsible institutions.
In the field of natural gas, the monopoly of “Moldovagaz” hampers the liberalization of the market that is noncompetitive owing to existence of one source of import. The success of the liberalization of the energy market is closely related to the modernization of infrastructure and is directly dependent on the interconnections with Romania. Moldova already built the Iași-Ungheni gas pipeline with Romania, but this cannot ensure energy diversification. To achieve this objective, the energy interconnection with the EU through Romania should be ensured.
The Government of Moldova in 2015 signed a memorandum with the Government of Romania concerning the implementation of five large-scale projects that would ensure the interconnection of the natural gas and electricity networks of the two states. But only the Ungheni-Strășeni gas pipeline is now being built, while the rest of the initiatives are at an incipient stage.
To secure its energy sector, the Republic of Moldova should modernize and restructure it so as to overcome the vulnerabilities inherited from the past. This process takes place much slower than planned, with delays in adopting legislation and in modernizing the energy infrastructure. When there is important support from outside, such an attitude shows things are intentionally thwarted at internal level, concluded the expert.
