The presence of the intermediary company in the process of supplying electric power to Moldova guarantees particular stability, but the lack of alternatives is the country’s biggest energy-related problem. At the same time, Moldova purchases electricity at a relatively lower price than the costs it would incur if it produced itself power by burning gas. These are some of the conclusions formulated by invitees to the program “Moldova live” on Moldova 1 channel.
Director of the Market Economy Institute Roman Chirca said the Republic of Moldova imports electricity at a lower price than the costs of generating electricity by burning gas in the country as the Transnistrian region does not pay for gas. He gave the example of the thermoelectric plants CET-1 and CET-2, which produce power at higher costs, noting that if the Cuchurgan Power Plant had been transferred officially under the administration of Moldova, we would have had a kind of CET-3.
“The paradox resides in the fact that the price we pay to the power plant from Transnistria is relatively lower than the costs Moldova would incur if it generated electric power by burning gas itself. The CETs generate power at much higher costs,” stated Roman Chirca.
Moreover, the intermediary companies that ensure the supply of electricity are created by the oligarchic groups from Transnistria to make the transfer of power from an obscure, black zone to the white zone, of Chisinau, possible. “It is paradoxical, but the current energy system of Moldova is interested in the existence of the unofficial Transnistria,” said the expert.
On the other hand, ex-director of the National Agency for Energy Regulation Victor Parlicov said the lack of alternatives is the real problem faced by Moldova. “We can now say that the prices charged by the Cuchurgan Power Plant and the intermediary are high or even inflated. But, if the Moldovan thermoelectric plant from Cuchurgan had paid fully for gas, the price of electricity wouldn’t have been under 7 cents. It would have been 8 or 9 cents. This is clear. If the price of gas was now US$400 per thousand cubic meters as several years ago, the electric power would cost 13, 14 or even 15 cents,” he stated.
Parlicov added that if there was an alternative to purchase power at the same price as that paid now by Moldova from another source, we should go there so as not to accumulate debts. But this is now not possible as the country does not have interconnection lines with Romania.
