Pull to refresh
Logo
What Changed
Following Why Sign Up
Moldova's Vulcanesti-Chisinau power line passes first full tests

Moldova's Vulcanesti-Chisinau power line passes first full tests

Built World

157-km, 400 kV line linking southern Moldova to Romania and the EU grid was inaugurated and energized on November 8; Sandu says two more Romania lines are planned

3 days ago: Vulcanesti-Chisinau line inaugurated and energized

Overview

Updated 3 days ago

President Maia Sandu and European Commissioner for Enlargement Marta Kos inaugurated the 157-kilometer Vulcanesti-Chisinau power line on November 8. The 400-kilovolt line was energized that day, connecting Moldova's grid to Romania and the wider European market without passing through Transnistria. Sandu said two more power lines to Romania are planned.

Commercial operation still waits on testing. Energy Minister Dorin Junghietu said the line needs 24 to 48 hours under voltage, then a load test, and could be running within a week if nothing goes wrong. A repaired transformer was reinstalled at the Chisinau substation in October. Moldova must complete commissioning by December 31 or lose €15 million in EU funding.

Why it matters

The line lets Moldova import electricity from Romania and the EU without the Transnistrian power plant, cutting one of Russia's main levers over the country.

Questions about this story

Free account needed to ask — your question is kept and asked for you right after sign-up. Answers are public.

No questions yet — be the first to ask.

Key Indicators

157 km
Line length
Overhead power line connecting the Vulcanesti and Chisinau substations.
400 kV
Operating voltage
Extra-high-voltage line running from the Vulcanesti substation to Chisinau.
€61M
Project value
Total cost of the World Bank-financed Power System Development Project.
50%
Share of peak consumption
Share of Moldova's peak-period electricity demand the line can transport.

Voices

Curated perspectives — historical figures and your fellow readers.

Sign up to generate historical perspectives on this story.

Log in Sign Up

People Involved

Dorin Junghietu
Dorin Junghietu
Minister of Energy, Republic of Moldova
Said the line could be operational within a week if tests under voltage and under load go smoothly
SC
Sergiu Carmanschi
General Director, Moldelectrica
Directing substation works and testing
RS
Ruslan Surugiu
Acting Director, UCIPE
Executing the World Bank-financed project
 Maia Sandu
Maia Sandu
President of the Republic of Moldova
Attended the November 8 inauguration and said two more power lines to Romania are planned
 Marta Kos
Marta Kos
European Commissioner for Enlargement
Attended the November 8 inauguration of the Vulcanesti-Chisinau line

Organizations Involved

Moldelectrica
Moldelectrica
State Enterprise
Operating the energized 400 kV line; completing acceptance and load tests

State enterprise operating Moldova's high-voltage transmission grid.
Ministry of Energy, Republic of Moldova
Ministry of Energy, Republic of Moldova
Government Ministry
Line energized on November 8; Minister Junghietu said it could be operational within a week if testing goes smoothly

Government ministry implementing the Power System Development Project.
World Bank Group
World Bank Group
International financial institution
Financed the line, which was inaugurated on November 8

International financial institution funding the Power System Development Project.
EP
UCIPE (Energy Projects Implementation Unit)
Government Agency
Completed construction; acceptance and commercial commissioning pending

Government agency that implements energy projects financed by international donors.

Timeline

April 2024 November 2026

7 events Latest: 3 days ago
Tap a bar to jump to that date

  1. Vulcanesti-Chisinau line inaugurated and energized

    Latest Infrastructure

    President Maia Sandu, EU Commissioner Marta Kos and World Bank representatives attended the inauguration. The 157-km line now links Moldova's grid directly to Romania and the European market.

  2. Acceptance commission begins inspecting Chisinau substation

    Testing

    The commission reviewed electrical equipment, construction works, protection and communications systems, and technical documentation ahead of staged energization.

  3. Repaired Chisinau transformer reinstalled and tested

    Infrastructure

    The current transformer sent to Spain for repair returned, was installed at the Chisinau substation and passed testing, the government said. The unit connects the station to the 330 kV network.

  4. First full tests pass; works declared complete

    Testing

    Works completed and first full tests successful; line energized and running at standard parameters.

  5. Entire line energized up to Chisinau substation

    Infrastructure

    Full 157-km route energized to the capital's substation, moving the line toward commissioning.

  6. First 100 km of line energized and tested

    Testing

    First technical tests energize the initial segment under operating voltage; results declared successful.

  7. Construction begins on Vulcanesti-Chisinau line

    Infrastructure

    Work starts on the 157-km line under the World Bank-financed Power System Development Project.

Scenarios

1

Moldova's energy independence line enters commercial operation by year's end

Likely Resolves by End of 2026

Discussed by: Ministry of Energy statements; World Bank project documents

All construction is complete and tests are passing. Remaining steps are substation configuration, protection-system checks, and coordination with Romanian and Ukrainian transmission operators. If those clear, the line begins carrying commercial power flows before December 31.

2

Substation configuration delays push commissioning into 2027

Possible Resolves by Q1 2027

Discussed by: Testing schedules cited by the Ministry of Energy

The substation's protection and automation systems are still being configured, with five teams on site. Cross-border testing requires synchronizing procedures with transmission operators in neighboring countries. Any mismatch in those checks could push commercial operation past year-end.

3

Line opens but Moldova's import mix barely shifts

Uncertain Resolves by End of 2027

Discussed by: Market analysts tracking Moldovan electricity pricing

Commissioning alone doesn't change Moldova's electricity mix. If power from the Transnistrian plant stays cheaper or contracts are already locked in, imports from Romania and the EU could remain modest despite the new capacity. Infrastructure capacity and actual market flows are separate questions.

4

Moldova misses December 31 deadline and loses €15 million in EU funding

Possible Resolves by End of 2026

Discussed by: Prime Minister Vasile Tofan and the Moldovan government's reform agenda

The European Union has tied €15 million to a reform measure requiring the line's commissioning by December 31, 2026. If commercial operation slips past that date, the government says the funding is lost.

Historical Context

3 moments from history that rhyme with this story — and how they unfolded.

2018-2025

Baltic states decouple from Russian grid (2022-2025)

Estonia, Latvia, and Lithuania spent years upgrading infrastructure to disconnect from the Russian and Belarusian grid. In February 2025 they synchronized with continental Europe's network after a final test on the Baltic-Finnish link.

Then

The three countries cut a century-old electricity tie to Russia, ending Moscow's ability to threaten their grids.

Now

The decoupling became a model for Eastern European states seeking to reduce Russian energy leverage.

Why this matters now

Moldova is pursuing the same goal through a single line, but with a much smaller grid and closer physical ties to Ukraine's system.

February-March 2022

Ukraine synchronizes with ENTSO-E (2022)

Days after Russia's invasion, Ukraine disconnected its grid from the joint Russian-Belarusian BRELL loop and, within weeks, synchronized with continental Europe's network. Moldova's grid is interconnected with Ukraine's, so the two countries' energy security is linked.

Then

Ukraine gained emergency access to European power support during the war.

Now

The synchronizations pulled Ukraine and Moldova closer to European grid standards and market rules.

Why this matters now

Moldova already operates closer to the European system than the new line implies; the Vulcanesti-Chisinau link completes the physical path for direct imports.

October 2022 onwards

Moldova's gas and electricity crisis (2022-2023)

Gazprom cut gas deliveries to Moldova after the war began, spiking electricity prices and forcing a state of emergency. Moldova relied heavily on power generated at the Kuchurgan plant in Transnistria, fed by Russian gas.

Then

Moldova scrambled to secure alternative supplies and declared emergency measures.

Now

The crisis hardened Moldova's push to diversify energy routes and reduce dependence on Transnistrian supply.

Why this matters now

The Vulcanesti-Chisinau line is the direct infrastructure response to that crisis, offering a route that bypasses the Kuchurgan plant entirely.

Sources

(19)
+13
Moldpres Global Transmission Moldova 1 Cotidianul IPN Al Jazeera Flank Moldpres Moldpres Moldpres Moldpres Moldpres Moldpres Moldpres IPN Moldova 1 Moldpres Moldova 1 Moldpres