Moldova declares energy alert as diesel hits €1.62 a litre
Drivers in Moldova will face higher pump prices on Thursday, July 30, following an official rate adjustment by the National Energy Regulatory Agency (ANRE).
Diesel prices rose by €0.045 per litre, taking the retail price to €1.62 (approx. 31.89 MDL) per litre. Gasoline prices also increased slightly to €1.56 (approx. 30.62 MDL) per litre.
Geopolitical bottlenecks drive shortages
Moldova imports 99.9% of its fuel supplies, leaving the nation highly exposed to international market volatility and supply chain disruptions.
The Moldovan government declared a 30-day state of alert across its energy and water management sectors on July 28 to manage severe logistical bottlenecks.
The energy crunch stems from multiple overlapping international crises. Infrastructure damage at Russia's Novorossiisk port halted Kazakh crude exports—a critical supply line accounting for 80% of Kazakhstan's oil exports and feeding Romania's Petromidia refinery, Moldova's primary fuel source.
Dwindling reserves and alternative routes
Escalating Middle East tensions temporarily pushed global crude prices above $100 per barrel, further compounding cost pressures on local importers.
Simultaneously, severe drought conditions lowered water levels on the Danube River, interrupting barge deliveries of diesel to Moldova's southern port of Giurgiulești.
By July 27, around 53 fuel stations across Moldova had completely run out of diesel. Commercial diesel reserves plummeted from a safe 17.6-day buffer in late June to a critical 6.9 days. Authorities are now urgently negotiating alternative fuel imports from Black Sea and Mediterranean refineries, including suppliers in Türkiye.
Translation by Iurie Tataru
