The main reason is the shutdown of the country’s main power line
The Parliament of Moldova has declared a state of emergency in the energy sector due to the shutdown of the Isakcha-Vulcanesti power transmission line as a result of Russian strikes on Ukraine’s infrastructure.
This was reported by RBC-Ukraine, citing NewsMaker.
Read also: Massive shelling of Ukraine has impacted Moldova’s energy sector: what we know
The decision was made on the evening of Tuesday, March 24, during an extraordinary session. Seventy-two deputies voted “in favor,” while 18 abstained.
Prime Minister Alexander Muntianu emphasized that the declaration of a state of emergency is a “necessary, legal, and preventive measure.”
According to him, the emergency situation will allow for quicker mobilization of additional resources, protection of critical infrastructure, and, if necessary, the implementation of further measures to minimize the damage from the crisis.
The Moldovan Prime Minister stated that several scenarios for ensuring electricity supply to Moldova are being considered. In particular, these include restoring the Isakcha-Vulcanesti line, connecting to the Romanian grid via Galati, purchasing electricity from Romania through Ukraine, or a combination of these solutions.
What preceded this
This morning, Muntianu reported that the nighttime strikes by the Russian Federation on Ukraine led to the shutdown of the main power transmission line that supplies Moldova with electricity – the Isakcha-Vulcanesti line. He added that four interconnection lines with Romania are operational, but the situation is complicated.
The Prime Minister of Moldova stressed that Russia bears sole responsibility for this. The President of Moldova, Maia Sandu, called the strikes on the energy sector a war crime by the Russian Federation.
Recall that on the evening of March 23, the cross-border power transmission line connecting the energy systems of Moldova and Romania was shut down due to Russian strikes on Ukraine.
Additionally, at the end of January, Moldova experienced a partial blackout due to Russian shelling. At that time, a drop in voltage was recorded on the 400 kV “Isakcha – Vulcanesti – MDRES” line, which triggered an emergency failure.
