There is no danger for the municipality of Chisinau to remain without drinking water, Minister of the Environment Iuliana Cantaragiu assured after the fourth turbine of the Dniester Hydropower Complex was put into operation. According to the minister, the utilization of the fourth turbine does not affect the water flow on the Nistru. However, the quality of the river will be affected if Kiev does not give up putting the other three turbines of the Hydropower Complex into operation. Talks are held on the platform of the Dniester Commission for avoiding such a scenario, IPN reports.
The minister said the Republic of Moldova is having talks with the Ukrainian side for identifying mutually advantageous solutions so that the energy ambitions of Ukraine do not affect the quality of the Nistru. They are also considering the possibility of compensating the Republic of Moldova for the damage caused by the Dniester Hydropower Complex.
“We are looking for solutions to incorporate the rules of using the Dniester Hydropower Complex into an international agreement through which the Republic of Moldova will play an active role in eventual modifications, in the process of monitoring the functioning of the complex. We are even discussing the idea of creating a compensatory mechanism. There are agreements on transboundary waters that had been negotiated for 50 years. Therefore, we should better negotiate it long, but well,” Iuliana Cantaragiu stated in the talk show “Good Evening” on the public TV channel M1.
The minister noted the drying up of the Nistru River so that Chisinau would remain without drinking water is out of the question. Even if Kiev in August started to use the fourth turbine of the complex, the state of the river will not be affected. The installation of the other three turbines and the functioning method of the complex are being discussed at the talks.
Back in 2014, Ukraine set up four turbines for producing electricity on the barrage of the Dniester Hydropower Complex and plans to install three more turbines. According to ecologists, the actions of the Ukrainian side affect the quality of water in the Nistru and the river can dry up in several years. The Nistru satisfies 70% of the drinking water needs of the Republic of Moldova.
