Moldova put into operation the Vulcănești–Chișinău power line, connecting the country to Romania and the European electricity grid. The ceremony took place on November 8 in the presence of President Maia Sandu, European Commissioner for Enlargement Marta Kos and representatives of the World Bank.
“Today we launched the Vulcănești–Chișinău power line, which connects Moldova with Romania and the European electricity grid,” Sandu wrote on the social network X. She added: “For decades, Moscow used energy to blackmail us. Not anymore: Moldova does not buy Russian gas.”
New link for importing electricity
The 400-kilovolt overhead line is approximately 157–158 kilometers long and connects the substations in Vulcănești and Chișinău. It bypasses the Kuchurgan energy hub, which is located in Transnistria, controlled by separatist authorities.
The facility has a capacity of up to 630 megavolt-amperes and can supply more than half of Moldova’s consumption during peak-demand hours. This gives the country an additional route for importing electricity from Romania and the European market, as well as greater independence from the infrastructure in Transnistria.
Construction of the line was completed in November 2025, while the Vulcănești substation was completed in June 2026. The project was financed with the support of the World Bank and the Moldovan government.
Moldova halted purchases of Russian gas
Sandu’s statement about gas follows a change that began after Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. Moldova stopped buying gas from “Gazprom” for the right bank of the Dniester in December 2022, with consumption there beginning to be covered by supplies purchased on the European market.
Following the expiration of the contract for the transit of Russian gas through Ukraine, Russian supplies no longer reach Transnistria either. Maia Sandu said that Moscow first reduced and then halted gas supplies to Moldova in 2022, which she said violated the existing contract.
Chișinău is also preparing further connections with Romania. Planned projects include the Bălți–Suceava and Strășeni–Gutinăș power lines, which are expected to further expand Moldova’s access to the European energy market.
Sources: ipn.md, radiomoldova.md, pravda.com.ua