The Ministry of Energy has published the timeline for the bid evaluation process in the large-scale wind and solar park construction auction.

We remind you that, in 2024, the Ministry of Energy launched for the first time an auction for the construction of wind and solar parks with a total capacity of 165 MW — of which 105 MW are wind parks and 60 MW are solar parks. The auction winners will be able to sell the electricity produced at a guaranteed fixed price for 15 years, indexed annually based on inflation and other parameters. The guaranteed fixed price will be determined during the auction procedure and cannot exceed the cap price set by the National Agency for Energy Regulation — 1.5 MDL/kWh for wind and 1.67 MDL/kWh for solar.

The deadline for submitting bids to the auction is March 31 of this year.

The timeline for the bid evaluation process in the auction sets out that the session for examining and validating the applications will take place on April 1 at 9:00 AM. Rejected investors will be notified around April 9, and the deadline for submitting appeals is April 25. The session for opening and qualifying technical bids will take place on April 30, followed by a period for appealing the decision. The opening and examination of financial bids will be held on May 21 or May 29. Following all procedures, the auction winners will be announced between June 3 and June 10, and the granting of the status of large eligible producer by Government decision is scheduled for no later than September.

Given the importance of this first auction process, the Auction Commission, while adhering to the deadlines set out in the Auction Regulations and Documentation, will make every effort to shorten the process and avoid delays.

As a result of this auction, investments of approximately €190 million are expected over the next three years (the period available to producers who have obtained winning status) for the construction of wind and solar parks. The construction of these parks will significantly contribute to the country’s energy security and the achievement of the national commitment to have 30% of electricity consumption from renewable sources by 2030.

The Ministry of Energy reminds those interested in participating in the auctions for obtaining large eligible producer status that all auction participants must hold prior approval of the investment from the Council for the Promotion of Investment Projects of National Importance, which is mandatory at the time of bid submission. The Council's activity is governed by the provisions of the Law on the Mechanism for Examining Investments of Importance for National Security.

We also remind you that three support mechanisms are applied in the Republic of Moldova for green energy producers, guaranteeing the purchase of surplus energy delivered to the grid and thus helping producers recover their investments:

-Net billing, which replaced the net metering mechanism as of January 1, 2024 — applicable to small producers with installations for self-consumption;

-Fixed tariff for 15 years — for parks and plants up to 1 MW (solar) or 4 MW (wind);

-Fixed price, also for 15 years — for parks and plants larger than 1 MW (solar) or 4 MW (wind), capacities awarded through auction. The auction was launched in the summer of 2024 for a total capacity of 165 MW — of which 105 MW are wind parks and 60 MW are solar parks.