A group of Moldovan companies producing electricity from renewable, Aeolian and photovoltaic sources complained that amid a crisis, the state pushes the renewable energy companies towards bankruptcy. They noted that rules were instituted overnight and the producers found themselves in difficulty. Instead of earning money from investments, they accumulate debts. According to them, any delay will worsen further the electricity supply problem in Moldova. The producers are hopeful they will be heard by Premier Natalia Gavrilița, who heads the Commission for Exceptional Situations.

In a news conference at IPN, lawyer Vitalie Malai said that he represents a group of over 30 companies that produce electricity from renewable, wind power and photovoltaic sources. “The Republic of Moldova has only two sources of energy – the sun and the wind. These two sources can be used nationwide, but, regrettably, they are not put to good use, while those who already invested in such power stations are blocked. Currently, even if it may seem strange, all the producers are close to bankruptcy,” stated the lawyer.

According to him, there is now installed and functional power of over 125 megawatts and 10% of the country’s power needs can be satisfied this way. There is potential for another at least 200 megawatts. There are persons who want to invest in this field. But the decisions of the recent period, especially those adopted by the Commission for Exceptional Situations, make the current producers cease operations. The producers now do not earn money after making investments and only amass debts. “For example, someone produced electrical energy to the value of 100,000 lei, but a second bill comes and this show the producer owes 150,000 lei. Such examples refer to almost everyone. Many of the producers owe over 2 million lei,” said Vitalie Malai.

He noted that this happens due to the practice to purchase electricity from local producers at a charge of 0.97 lei. “They make us be stagnant rather than work. At the height of the crisis, when it was clear that the electricity will grow more expensive, instead of creating guarantee instruments for the economy and ensuring stable prices, new rules are introduced and this leads to larger costs for everyone – producers, suppliers, system operators – and will then have an impact on the final bills,” stated Vitalie Malai.

Victor Aghinie, who owns a wind power plant, said that he has worked in the field for five years. “It is hard to work now. Starting with this January, we have supplied 702,000 kilowatts of power into the network, in January, February, March. We haven’t been paid any money so far,” stated the producer.

Zinaida Plămădeală, of a renewable energy company, said that problems didn’t appear overnight, but these have worsted in the recent past. “These problems are accompanied by very large costs. There are big risks that our business will go bankrupt and I refer not only to the business of my family, but to all the renewable energy producers. A whole sector risks becoming insolvent,” stated Zinaida Plămădeală.

The renewable energy companies called on Prime Minister Natalia Gavrilița to devote attention to them and to identity solutions to the worsening problems they experience.

The conference forms part of the series of conferences held as part of IPN News Agency’s project “Support for the Justice Reform through multimedia coverage of cases of alleged injustice”. The Agency does not bear responsibility for the public statements made in the public sphere by the organizers of news conferences. IPN News Agency gives the right of reply to persons who consider they were touched by the news items produced based on statements of the organizers of the given news conference, including by facilitating the organization of another news conference in similar conditions.