The Energy Community Secretariat and the Ministry of Economy of Moldova have finalized the Guidelines for the Annual Procurement of Electricity, IPN reports. Such Guidelines are of great importance for a market depending on only a few potential sources of electricity.

According to a press release published on the Energy Community’s website, most importantly, the Guidelines provide that procurement of electricity in Moldova will be monitored by a Group of Observers constituted by Moldovan officials, as well as representatives of the Energy Community Secretariat and the EU Delegation to Moldova. The Group of Observers will ensure that the procurement process is transparent and non-discriminatory.

The Guidelines further provide a set of transparent, non-discriminatory selection criteria. The Guidelines also envisage a negotiation stage, in which short-listed tenderers will have the chance to improve their financial offer.

“The Ministry of Economy has been open and constructive to this idea from the beginning. Our hope is that the Guidelines will increase transparency and legitimacy of electricity procurement in the specific circumstances of the Moldovan market. It is a first step and we will use the experience made during this procurement period to make further progress in the future,” said Energy Community Secretariat Deputy Director Dirk Buschle.

The Guidelines will be adopted shortly by the Ministry of Economy and will be used for the first time already this month.