46 schools across the country will be renovated, and over 46,000 students and teachers will benefit from improved learning conditions thanks to a $54.5 million investment in the energy efficiency of public buildings and the modernization of thermal energy supply systems. The works will be carried out under the "Sustainable Transition to Energy Efficiency in Moldova (STEEM)" Project, officially launched today in Chișinău.

The event brought together representatives of beneficiary institutions and public authorities, who were informed about the implementation stages of the project.

In his opening remarks, Minister of Energy of the Republic of Moldova, Dorin Junghietu, emphasized the importance of the project in the context of the country’s energy transition, as well as the improvement of learning conditions for students and teachers:

“Renovation and modernization works are expected to lead to over 50% reduction in energy consumption in the targeted buildings.”

Inguna Dobraja, World Bank Country Manager for Moldova, highlighted that the STEEM Project is the first in a series of energy efficiency projects to be supported by the World Bank in Moldova. She also noted that these investments will help combat climate change and energy poverty, a significant issue in the country.

“This major investment in school infrastructure reflects our firm commitment to building a modern, equitable, and sustainable education system. Through this project, we are not only improving conditions in dozens of schools, but directly investing in the future of our children,” stated Minister of Education and Research of the Republic of Moldova, Dan Perciun.

In this context, Ruslan Surugiu, Director of the Consolidated Unit for the Implementation and Monitoring of Energy Projects (UCIPE), presented the technical and organizational details of the project, highlighting upcoming measures such as: thermal insulation of walls and roofs, replacement of windows and doors, renovation of the internal heating system and lighting, installation of heat pumps, solar thermal collectors, and photovoltaic panels.

Additionally, Iurie Razlovan, General Director of Termoelectrica S.A., spoke about another component of the project, which involves improving the energy efficiency of the heat supply system in public buildings by installing approximately 300 individual heating points.

The "Sustainable Transition to Energy Efficiency in Moldova" project has a total budget of $54.5 million, of which $50 million will be provided as a loan by the International Bank for Reconstruction and Development (IBRD), and $4.5 million as a grant from the Multi-Donor Trust Fund “Moldova – Development, Resilience and Opportunities for Well-being (M-GROW)”.

The project will be implemented by the Government of the Republic of Moldova, through the Ministry of Energy and UCIPE, with support from the M-GROW Multi-Donor Trust Fund, managed by the World Bank Group. Founding partners of M-GROW include Ireland, Norway, and the United Kingdom, which jointly contributed to the trust fund.