Moldova to have new law on power

Chisinau, 7 October /MOLDPRES/ - The cabinet today approved the draft law on electricity. Moldova committed to implement into the national legislation the Directive of the European Parliament and Ministerial Council of Energy Community on common standards for the local power market.

„The approximation of the Moldovan legislation, which regulates the energy sector, to the principles of the European Union’s law-enforcement system, is part of a larger process to adjust the national legislation to EU acquis, assumed through the signing of the Association Agreement with EU,” Deputy Prime Minister, Economics Minister Stephane Bride said.  

The new law complies with the standard documents, which are part of the Third Energy Package, unlike the law adopted in 2009, which complied with the Energy Package II, by which the basic principles to create a common competition market with the European Union were established.

The new law will encourage the entry of new participants in the power market, that will help develop competition in the energy sector, as well as enhance the security of the end consumers' power supply, the Economics Ministry says.

Under the draft, electricity consumers will be able to change the supplier at will.

„Each final consumer has the right to free choice and change the the supplier, if he/she honoured the payments for power to the present supplier, as well as the right to be provided with all relevant data on power consumption,” the bill says.

An entire chapter is dedicated to the energy regulation authority, including as regards the market monitoring and price setting.

(Reporter V. Bercu, Editor A. Raileanu)