The construction site of the Vulcănești–Chișinău power line and its associated substations was inspected today by State Secretary Carolina Novac, accompanied by a delegation from the Directorate-General for Neighbourhood and Enlargement Negotiations, Eastern Partnership (DG ENEST) of the European Commission, which is in Chișinău to assess progress on the Reform Agenda, part of the Growth Plan.

The parties reviewed the stage of construction of the line, the timeline for completion and commissioning, as well as plans for expanding the electricity transmission infrastructure.

After the main power line was completed in November 2025 and tested during January 2026, work continues at the Chișinău and Vulcănești substations. At the Chișinău substation, major equipment has already been installed, and preparatory work is currently underway for assembling the container for the protection equipment. At the Vulcănești substation, disconnectors and circuit breakers have been installed, while measurement transformers are being delivered and are scheduled to be installed in the coming period.

Discussions with the DG ENEST delegation focused on the implementation of the Republic of Moldova’s Economic Growth Plan, financed by the European Union with €1.9 billion, with particular attention to the energy sector. Key actions under the growth plan were discussed, including the construction of the Vulcănești–Chișinău power line, the liberalization of the natural gas market, and ongoing energy efficiency programs.

The development of a support mechanism for energy storage in residential buildings and enterprises was also discussed. In this regard, the Ministry of Energy and the National Center for Sustainable Energy are implementing the Green Home program, its second phase, with a budget of 200 million lei, scheduled to be launched in two weeks. The program provides grants of up to 200,000 lei for thermal insulation of roofs, walls, and floors, modernization of heating systems including heat pumps and biomass boilers, installation of photovoltaic panels, and energy storage batteries. This year, approximately 1,000 households across the country will be able to obtain funding for energy-efficient home renovations.

Regarding the installation of energy storage systems in enterprises, they will benefit from a state aid scheme prepared by the Ministry of Economic Development and Digitalization, which will be announced shortly. Market information indicates that around 200 MW of energy storage capacity is expected to be installed this summer.

The Vulcănești–Chișinău power line project is being implemented by the Government of the Republic of Moldova, through the Ministry of Energy and the Energy Project Implementation Unit (UCIPE), with financial support from the World Bank Group Moldova.