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Why was the interconnection of energy and gas systems of Romania and Republic of Moldova not carried out?
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This subject was brought up during the visit of the Romanian Minister of Economy, Adriean Videanu, to Chisinau and during the meeting of the intergovernmental commission for economic cooperation and European integration between the Republic of Moldova and Romania.
The discussions on the interconnection of energy and gas systems of Moldova and Romania started ten years ago, but it continues to be only a project. Besides certain political issues that appeared between Moldova and Romania, the main factor that blocked the implementation of these projects was the lack of funds.
Now the parties hope that these interconnection projects will be financed by the European Union and by international financial institutions.
Did Gazprom block the gas systems interconnection?!
„Gazprom" had a major contribution in blocking Drochia-Ungeni-Iasi pipeline construction. Romania and Moldova showed their interest in constructing this pipeline, in order to provide gas to districts from Moldova. But „Gazprom" announced that it will not participate in the project and will not guarantee the delivery of gas through this pipeline, if the gas consumption in Romania will not increase significantly. „We talked about this project with „Gazprom" a year or two ago (2006-2007), but they avoided taking a final decision. They said that only when the demand will increase significantly, we could initiate the negotiations", stated in 2008 Corneliu Condrea, Chief of the Energy, Oil and Gas Department from the Romanian Ministry of Economy.
The delay caused by „Gazprom" forced the Republic of Moldova to build a segment of Drochia-Ungheni-Iasi pipeline at its own expense.
Thus, in 2008-2009, the company „Moldovatransgaz" - gas transportation network operator from Moldova built a segment of Balti-Ungheni pipeline, in order to provide gas to consumers from several districts. Although it has a capacity of less than one billion cubic meters (originally it was supposed to have a capacity of about 3 billion cubic meters), this pipeline does allow the interconnection between Moldova's and Romania's gas systems.
The construction of Ungheni-Iasi segment could not only facilitate the Russian gas transit through Moldova to Romania, but also the gas import from Romania to Moldova. Especially in the context of „Gazprom" intention to participate in the construction of a large gas deposit in Margineni, Neamt District, but also of the implementation of Nabucco or AGRI projects, through which the gas from Azerbaijan and Central Asia could be delivered to Romania and Europe avoiding Russian territory.
Energy systems of Romania and Republic of Moldova are now interconnected only through three 110 kV transmission lines, which are not sufficient to ensure substantial supplies of electricity between the two countries. There are also Moldoveneasca-Vulcanesti-Isaccea 400 kV CERS transmission line, but it was built for the export of the energy produced in Cuciurgan power plant.
Discussions about the construction of Balti-Suceava 400 kV transmission line are being held for over a decade, and the current project dates back to 2004.
We have to add that current discussions do not allow hoping that in two or three years these projects will be successfully implemented. At best, if funds will be obtained, these projects could become a reality in the next decade.
