More electricity from Romania

Chisinau, Jan 9 /MOLDPRES/- Energocom has signed an electricity purchase contract with OMV Petrom Romania, valid from January 10 to 31. Republic of Moldova will purchase an amount of 30 MW band (24 hours out of 24).

According to the terms of the contract, the price cannot be disclosed for the time being, but Energocom said that it is lower than the bids on the market. According to the institution, price fluctuations are expected in the coming weeks in connection with the resumption of economic activity, which will generate higher consumption both in Romania and Moldova.

"The contract with OMV Petrom will reduce the amount of electricity bought on the stock exchange, which is also characterized by volatility," Energocom said.

In October-December 2022, when the Republic of Moldova was facing a similar crisis after the Cuciurgan power plant halted deliveries to the right bank of the Dniester, Energocom also bought electricity from OMV Petrom, which owns Brazi thermoelectric power plant processing natural gas.

Since January 1, the right bank of the Dniester river has not been receiving electricity from the Cuciurgan power plant, after the Russian Gazprom stopped natural gas supplies to Moldova.

Under these circumstances, consumption is covered from domestic sources - such as the district heating power plants in Chisinau and Balti, Costești hydroelectric power plant, renewable sources, imports under bilateral contracts from Romania and purchases on the Romanian electricity exchange, managed by the Romanian electricity exchange OPCOM.

At the end of December, Energocom announced that between January 1 and March 31, 2025 it will purchase three times more electricity from the Romanian company Nuclearelectrica, which owns the nuclear power plant in Cernavodă. The volume of the purchase is 100 MW band (24 hours out of 24), almost three times more than in December 2024, when Energocom purchased 30 MW. The energy price is around €80/MWh.

At the same time, the Ministry of Energy announced that another 100 MW is to be contracted from OMV Petrom's Brazi Plant. At the same time, up to 200 MW may be purchased on the Romanian electricity exchange OPCOM to cover peak consumption.

According to the data of the Government's Crisis Cell, for January 8, the electricity consumption for the right bank was fully covered on the basis of commercial contracts, from the following sources: electricity imports (RO) - 46.42%; Termoelectrica - 33.16%; Renewable energy - 15.03%; CET-Nord - 4.83%; NHE Costești - 0.56%.