The Energy Ministries of the Republic of Moldova and Romania will sign on December 11 a Memorandum of Understanding on the realization of projects for the interconnection of natural gas and electricity networks. The signing was authorized at today's Government meeting. In the natural gas sector, the Memorandum provides for the possibility of increasing the natural gas transportation capacity and expanding the Iasi-Ungheni-Chisinau gas pipeline by building a gas transmission pipeline - the Chisinau Ring. This could be realized by the end of 2031. The development of the gas storage system in Romania will also be supported by increasing the gas storage capacity at the Sărmășel storage site and/or the construction of a new storage site at Fălticeni. In the context of the recent synchronization of the power system of the Republic of Moldova with the European Network of Transmission System Operators ENTSO-E, in the field of electricity, the Memorandum concerns the Overhead Power Line (OPL) with nominal voltage 400 kV Suceava - Balti, the extension of the 400kV Suceava substation and the 400 kV Balti substation, the project of the 400 kV Overhead Power Line interconnection between Strășeni and a substation on the territory of Romania, established by CNTEE "Transelectrica" SA, as well as the development of the existing 110kV Huși-Cioara 110kV interconnection line in the field of electricity. At the same time, the Memorandum will ensure the conditions for the designation of "OPCOM" SA under the legislation of the Republic of Moldova as the electricity market operator in the Republic of Moldova, including the designated electricity market operator, with a view to the integration of the electricity market of the Republic of Moldova into the internal electricity market of the European Union through market coupling. In its turn, "Moldelectrica" is to be integrated into the Balancing Market administered by CNTEE "Transelectrica" SA, the processes of cross-border trading of balancing electricity and system services are to be established through access by the "Moldelectrica" to the Balancing Market and the Market of Technological System Services, administered by CNTEE "Transelectrica" SA.