Romania will deliver 30 percent of Moldova’s electricity that it needs to replace supplies previously provided by Ukraine after its power plants were damaged by Russian attacks.
Damage caused by Russian assaults in recent days has led to a substantial reduction in Ukraine’s energy exports to Moldova and European Union countries.
Moldova on Thursday welcomed Romania’s decision to step in the place of Ukraine.
The Moldovan government will buy electricity from Romania for 90 euros per MWh, significantly less than the price of about 280 euros per MWh which Bucharest is charging other customers.
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”Romania helps us again– starting tomorrow we will buy electricity from the other side of the Prut (note: the river that separates Romania from Moldova). Romania’s government decided (to help) after Ukraine halted electricity supplies after its plants were hit by Russian missiles,” President Maia Sandu wrote on Facebook.
“Thank you, Romania! We appreciate this prompt and generous help at a difficult moment.”
In March, Moldova synchronized its system with the European electricity system. The electricity from Romania will be delivered to Moldova via the high-voltage lines in Ukraine.
Moldova was getting about one-third of its electricity from Ukraine with the remainder purchased from the Moldgres thermal power plant in Cuciurgan in the separatist region of Trans-Dniester.
The power plant at Kuchurgan is owned by the Russian giant Inter RAO. The energy is produced using Russian gas, which separatist authorities have not paid for years.
Moldova is still totally reliant on Russian gas. Romania has also pledged to deliver up to 150 million cubic meters of gas per month, after Gazprom threatened to disrupt gas supplies to Moldova.
