Vasile Tofan and Luca Niculescu visit the Chișinău electrical substation before work completion
The team responsible for the works at the Chișinău Electrical Substation—part of the Vulcănești–Chișinău interconnection project—has requested the convening of the acceptance commission. Completing this stage brings the commissioning of the new infrastructure one step closer.
The announcement was made during a visit to the station on October 27 by the Prime Minister of the Republic of Moldova, Vasile Tofan, and his Romanian counterpart, Luca Niculescu.
The modernization works at the Chișinău Electrical Substation were carried out by a Romanian-German consortium—comprising Siemens Energy, Electromontaj, and Energotech—which was responsible for the design, supply, and installation of the equipment.
The consortium has announced the commencement of the formal acceptance procedure for the works.
"This marks the final stage before the power line is commissioned and enters commercial operation," a Government press release states.
The Vulcănești–Chișinău power line, spanning 157 kilometers, will enable the transmission of electricity from Romania directly to the center of the Republic of Moldova.
The project is a strategic investment to strengthen the country's energy independence and its connections with Romania and the European market. The World Bank Group is financing it as part of the Republic of Moldova’s Power System Development Project.
The Republic of Moldova must bring the line into operation by the end of the year; otherwise, it risks losing out on 15 million euros from the European Union’s Growth Plan.
Energizing this infrastructure is one of the conditions the authorities have committed to meeting in order to access European funding, with the extended deadline for its completion expiring in December 2026.
The 15 million euros represent European funding contingent upon the fulfillment of this specific reform measure—not the cost of constructing the power line itself.
On Tuesday, October 27, Romanian Prime Minister Luca Niculescu paid his first visit abroad since taking office, travelling to Chișinău. The agenda included meetings with the Prime Minister of the Republic of Moldova, Vasile Tofan; President Maia Sandu; and the Speaker of Parliament, Igor Grosu. The discussions focused on bilateral cooperation, Romanian investments, and joint energy projects.
The government led by Luca Niculescu was sworn in on October 20, bringing an end to a five-and-a-half-month period of interim governance. Among the new Prime Minister's priorities is continued support for the Republic of Moldova in its European integration process.
