Ukraine likely to resume electric energy exports to Moldova
14:12 | 28.01.2016 Category: Economic
Chisinau, 28 January /MOLDPRES/- Ukraine might resume the electricity export to Moldova starting from next April, almost one year and a half after suspending supplies, because of insufficient quantities of energy on the domestic market, triggered by coal shortage for power plants.
“We are at the stage of negotiations. Tenders on energy export will be organized in the second quarter. Preferences will be given to deliveries to Moldova and Belarus”, Ukrainian Deputy Energy Minister Oleksandr Svetelik said.
“When the temperatures will rise and the emergency regime will be cancelled in the energy sector, the additional burdens on the Ukrainian nuclear plants will disappear,” the official said. He added that the decision to resume the exports would depend on these factors.
The Gas Natural Fenosa company has recently informed that it started the process of identifying one or more companies, from which the enterprise is to buy electricity for consumers’ needs in April 2015-March 2016. The contract with the companies providing power, Kuchurgan power station and Energocom, expires on 31 March 2016.
The energy provider asked for bids from ten companies of Moldova, Ukraine and Romania.
According to data by the National Energy Regulatory Agency, the purchases of electricity from Ukraine before their suspension in late 2014 covered 21-25 per cent of Moldova’s overall consumption.
Presently, about 75-80 per cent of Moldova's electricity needs are covered by the Kuchurgan power plant.
(Reporter V. Bercu, editor M. Jantovan)
