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Vyacheslav Moldovan: Local electricity market is ignored


https://www.ipn.md/index.php/en/vyacheslav-moldovan-local-electricity-market-is-ignored-7966_1093869.html

Even if the Republic of Moldova faces a shortage of electrical energy, the local electricity producers are treated with indifference, said Vyacheslav Moldovan, of a local electricity company. According to the entrepreneur, the authorities prefer large contracts with MGRES, Ukraine or Romania to the detriment of local companies, IPN reports.

Local entrepreneurs who produce and transmit electricity said the authorities do not use the local power market when they need to purchase electrical energy.


“It is paradoxical that the country experiences a shortage of electrical energy, but they do not want to purchase electricity from local producers. These are considered too small as energy market players and are therefore treated not as partners, but as representatives of companies that only need to come and sign contracts. In our country, they work only with companies that can sign consistent contracts, like MGRES, companies from Ukraine and Romania. The local companies are ignored,” the manager of ML Energy-Group Vyacheslav Moldovan stated in the program “Territory of Freedom”.

He noted that a consortium of local electricity companies recently made an advantageous power supply offer to Energocom, but this was turned down.

“A number of local electricity providers formed an association and made an offer to Energocom. We said that we are ready to provide 4 million kW a month according to a schedule, at an advantageous price. We were told that there is sufficient electricity for now and the issue will be raised later. But this is all in vain. This means we have electricity as we produce it, but we do not have where to sell it. We have to reorient our operations to export,” said Vyacheslav Moldovan.

“The energy that is generated in our country is included in the country’s energy balance and we should not underestimate the capacities of local producers. However, this energy cannot be controlled. If there is wind and sun, there is energy too. If not, there is no energy. Furthermore, it’s clear that our producers cannot cover the whole shortage,” explained energy expert Victor Parlicov.

Currently, the Republic of Moldova buys electricity from the Kuchurgan power plant at the price of US$73 per MW. The agreement to purchase electrical energy from the left side of the Nistru is valid until next March.