Moldova rules out sabotage as power grid project faces new delay
Moldova postponed the commissioning of its strategic Vulcănești–Chișinău power transmission line following maintenance delays on a critical transformer undergoing repairs in Spain, Energy Minister Dorin Junghietu announced on Sunday.
Technical bottlenecks and sabotage inquiries
The 157-kilometre high-voltage power line and the Vulcănești substation have already been completed, tested, and officially approved. However, the overall operational launch remains blocked pending the return of the essential transformer unit from an overseas facility.
“The contractor initially presented us with a schedule, subsequently revised the timeline, and we ended up facing this delay in August due to the transformer,” Junghietu said during the “În Context” program on public broadcaster Moldova 1. “The unit was dispatched to Spain in June and has not yet arrived back in Moldova. We expect it to return towards the end of September.”
Addressing concerns regarding potential third-party interference, the minister noted that authorities reviewed several hypotheses before concluding that the disruptions stemmed from vendor maintenance.
“I requested a comprehensive breakdown of all delays registered at the substation, both objective and subjective,” said Junghietu. “We were informed that maintenance operations had been scheduled for this equipment in August, and the contractor committed to accelerating the process as much as possible.”
Strategic energy diversification
The Vulcănești–Chișinău link represents a crucial infrastructure pillar, dubbed the country's "energy independence line" designed to deliver electricity directly from southern interconnectors to the capital without routing through the breakaway left bank of the Dniester.
Despite physical line readiness, commercial commissioning has now been postponed five times, most recently missing an August 27 deadline. The final link awaiting synchronization remains the Chișinău power substation.
“The Vulcănești–Chișinău power line is completed, fully tested, and formally received,” Junghietu added. “The sole remaining element required for commissioning is the Chișinău substation. Nevertheless, a certain degree of uncertainty persists regarding the exact commissioning date.”
The €11.9 million (approx. 238.3 million MDL) project is financed by the World Bank Group and implemented by the Ministry of Energy through the Consolidated Agricultural Projects Management and Energy Unit (UCIPE), with state-owned transmission system operator Moldelectrica as the final beneficiary. The contract was awarded in January 2022 with an initial completion target of October 2024.
Translation by Iurie Tataru
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