Prime Minister Alexandru Munteanu states that the Republic of Moldova suffered losses as a result of last weekend’s blackout, but the extent of these losses has not yet been determined. He also warns that the country could face further disruptions to its electricity supply.
“The blackout occurred, as you know, over the weekend when most businesses were not operating. Therefore, we’re making a calculation: there were losses, but they were very small, thanks to the fact that the response was very quick, unlike the blackout in Europe in November 2024, which lasted more than 24 hours in Spain, where the economy and network are much more developed. We, here, are close to the war zone, to the Ukrainian network, which is affected daily by Russian strikes,” stated Moldovan Prime Minister Alexandru Munteanu.
Asked if there is a risk of another energy crisis, given that the energy system of the Republic of Moldova is interconnected with that of Ukraine, Prime Minister Alexandru Munteanu replied that “it is possible, but there are, as we have already demonstrated, protocols that will be activated at that time, and the impact of such crises will be limited. You realize, even last night, Ukraine, especially the Odessa region, was bombed again. At the moment, we do not have information if their electricity network was affected, but there will certainly be more difficult situations.”
Questioned about the duration of the energy vulnerability, the head of the Cabinet of Ministers emphasized that, until the “commissioning of the Vulcănești–Chișinău high voltage line, the country’s energy security will be at a much higher level, and then the Republic of Moldova will be able to ensure its energy needs and, at the same time, will be able to offer support to Ukraine by providing energy resources.”
Several hours without electricity
On January 31, the Republic of Moldova faced a nationwide power outage, this was recorded against the backdrop of serious problems in the Ukrainian electricity network caused by Russian attacks on energy infrastructure, as well as weather conditions. The blackout occurred between 10:00 and 16:00, and 70% of consumers in the neighboring country were affected, according to data from the Moldovan Ministry of Energy. The restoration of the electricity supply took place gradually, including in the capital.