Government to increase internal capacity of electricity production to 70% of the present demand

The Government approved on Wednesday, July 25, a draft Energy Strategy for the period starting now and ending in 2020, regarding possibilities to increase internal capacities to produce electric energy, representing 70% of the needed amount, to ensure the energy security of Moldova. The Minister of Industry and Infrastructure, Vladimir Antosii, told reporters, that approving such a strategy is vital in order to attract international investments within the projects stipulated in the strategy. According to the minister, the draft document plans the construction of a coal-fuelled Thermal Power Station (CET) and of mini-CETs in each central district. Asked whether the production of electricity at local level will be profitable if Moldova develops the capacity to import cheap electricity in the future, Antosii said that the combined cycle of electric and thermal energy production will determine the profitability of these enterprises. The Ministry calculated that to increase the production capacities of the country, a total of 210 million euros in investments is needed. The total expenses for the functioning of the new energy infrastructure would increase its capacity to 450 million euros. The strategy envisages the development of sustainable energy resources in Moldova, finalising the works of the Giurghiulesti Terminal, the construction of lines of transportation of electric energy, implementation of ecologic technologies of generating electric energy. Antosii says that the strategy also foresees the liberalisation of the energy market for economic agents by 2008 and for the population – by 2015. The strategy also plans the accession of Moldova to the UCT European system, while further aspirations of the energy system are for Moldova to become part of the single South-Eastern European market and include plans of accession to the European Energy Treaty as a full-fledged member country. The European Commission will organise in Chisinau, in September, a meeting of international donors who will be offered the opportunity to finance projects within the Energy Strategy, Antosii added, quoted by Info-Prim Neo.