Among many other interventions, about 800,000 Moldovan households enjoyed energy bill relief in 2022-2024 under the “Addressing the Energy Crisis in Moldova” Program. With a budget of 13 million euros offered by the EU in non-reimbursable funding and implemented by UNDP, the program was formally wrapped up on August 1 in a public event.

Minister of Energy Victor Parlicov noted that Moldova successfully overcame the energy crisis and took it as an opportunity to launch ambitious reforms in the energy sector. “All of this would not have been possible without the major support of the international community, and the European Union has played an essential role in these transformation processes”.

Also under the program, five district hospitals – in Florești, Nisporeni, Ștefan Vodă, Cahul, and Călărași – were equipped with photovoltaic panels with a total capacity of 600 kW. The panels on the five hospitals will produce 780 MWh of green electricity annually, saving more than 20 million lei each year.

Daniela Gasparikova, UNDP Resident Representative to Moldova, said that the program played an essential role in overcoming the challenges caused by the recent energy crisis. “The energy crisis has brought with it unprecedented challenges, but it has also provided a unique opportunity to launch ambitious reforms in the energy sector. We can now say with confidence that this opportunity has been fully exploited and the energy sector has accelerated its transformation for the benefit of the people”.

Solomon Ioannou, program manager at the EU Delegation to Moldova, said that a state that has sustainable green energy also enjoys a high level of sovereignty. This is the reason why the EU intervened during the energy crisis to support Moldova in strengthening its energy security.

The program implemented pilot projects that contributed to the reduction of energy consumption in households, to be taken over by the National Center for Sustainable Energy (CNED) and expanded nationally. In four blocks in Chisinau, individual thermal points were installed and heat distribution systems were changed. Energy audits were also carried out in 25 blocks, which will be energy efficient according to the model tested by PNUD and CNED. Also, the program provided five educational institutions with equipment for energy-related studies.