The Economy Ministry proposed a new scheme for merging the thermoelectric companies of Chisinau municipality. It was already approved by a Government decision, IPN reports.

“The classical procedure for merging CET1, CET2 and SA Termocom, suggested by us, was challenged by the local authorities in court. We had to formulate another plan as the thermoelectric sector of Chisinau must be restructured or we may remain without heat in winter. Moreover, the World Bank promised us a loan of US$20 million for making investments in the networks. The other US$20 million can be used as a guarantee to the gas supplier to which the three companies owe money,” said Deputy Minister of Economy Tudor Copaci.

According to the new scheme, only the two thermoelectric plants CET-1 and CET-2 will be merged as the court nullified the decision of the General Assembly of Shareholders of SA Termocom. Given that SA Termocom is going through the procedure of insolvency by liquidation, its assets will be transferred to CET-2, to which the heat supplier has the largest debts. Afterward, there will be created a new company - Termoelectrica.

At the next stage, the debts of the thermoelectric companies to Moldova Gaz will be rescheduled for a period of 15 years. The US$20 million dollars that will be provided by the World Bank for the guarantee to the gas supplier covers US$80 million at a time when the debts of the thermoelectric companies exceed 1 billion lei.

The changes will lead to the revision of heat charge for end-users. They may decrease, but, as Turdor Copaci said, it’s premature to say something definite.