Energocom’s public service obligations extended until January 31, 2026
The Government has extended the public service obligation for the company "Energocom" for an additional year, now lasting until January 31, 2026. This decision was approved during a meeting on December 23 and is driven by the authorities' need to ensure the continuous supply of electricity in the Republic of Moldova.
According to the initiative’s explanatory memorandum, any further deterioration of Ukraine’s energy infrastructure or any military escalation could significantly limit Moldova’s access to essential import sources. In such a scenario, ensuring adequate supply for consumers solely through competitive mechanisms becomes challenging. This situation raises the risk of being unable to secure competitive contracts, which justifies the need for a state intervention mechanism.
Carolina Novac, the State Secretary of the Ministry of Energy, stated at the meeting that the "Energocom" company has the operational capacity and necessary experience to promptly intervene in regional markets and ensure an adequate electricity supply. The effectiveness of this mechanism has been demonstrated in previous years.
"By maintaining the public service obligation, we create a stable and predictable framework for universal service providers, system operators, and consumers," emphasized Carolina Novac. "This protects both the population and the business environment from the risks of interruptions or sudden tariff increases. This measure is in the general economic interest and aligns with European legislation principles that allow for temporary state interventions to ensure energy security."
The extension of the public service obligation enables "Energocom" to establish contracts with local producers, including those using renewable sources. This helps diversify the energy mix and reduce dependence on imports amid a volatile market context.
The cessation of natural gas supplies to the Transnistrian region by "Gazprom" under the contract with "Moldovagaz" poses significant risks to the stability of the electric power system. Starting January 1, 2025, the Republic of Moldova will cease purchasing electricity from the Cuciurgan power plant, with supplies currently relying mainly on imports from the ENTSO-E area.
Additionally, the implementation of new capacity calculation mechanisms has increased uncertainty regarding the level of available capacity. During August, consumption deviations from forecasts reached up to 50% daily, and certain intervals recorded deviations of 300–400%, which affected the ability to contract standardized products for the long term.
