Moldova Faces Energy Crisis: The Dilemma of Isolated Villages

In Moldova, the end of Russian gas deliveries has plunged several villages under Moldovan control in Transnistria into a severe energy crisis, highlighting the logistical and economic challenges of an independent energy supply.

Share:

Since Gazprom suspended Russian gas deliveries in early January, residents of several Moldovan villages connected to the Transnistrian network find themselves in a precarious situation. Cocieri, enclosed in separatist territory but administered by Moldova, illustrates the challenges the country faces in diversifying its energy sources while keeping costs manageable.

The situation is particularly tense for residents like Valera Alexandru Sava, a war veteran. In his home, only the ground floor is heated with an old wood stove. “We manage, but it’s difficult,” he explains, pointing to the soaring energy bills elsewhere in the country as a looming concern.

An Energy Network Inherited from the Soviet Era

Villages directly connected to the Transnistrian network, such as Cocieri, still heavily rely on infrastructure dating back to the Soviet Union. The Moldovan government is working to connect these isolated areas to the national grid. Ivan Mitcul, secretary of Cocieri’s town hall, emphasizes that building a pipeline across the Dniester River represents a “massive investment,” both technically complex and costly.

However, this initiative faces strong local resistance. In the neighboring locality of Copanca, residents protested against the grid connection works, fearing the costs associated with electricity supplied by Romania, Moldova’s main partner in alleviating the crisis.

The Social and Economic Impact of the Crisis

Power and heating outages severely disrupt daily life. In Varnita, where streets plunged into darkness evoke a return to the Stone Age, shops operate under the light of mobile phones. Valentina Gora, a bread seller, voices shared frustration: “We want to join Europe, but not at this cost.”

The crisis also underscores the social and geopolitical fractures pulling Moldova in different directions. While authorities accuse Moscow of destabilization, residents in affected areas seek practical solutions regardless of political considerations.

An Uncertain Energy Future

The Moldovan government, led by pro-European President Maia Sandu, has diversified imports, but these efforts have doubled household energy bills. Despite criticism, officials like Deputy Prime Minister Oleg Serebrian stress the need to reduce dependency on Russian gas.

For many Moldovans, however, this energy shift entails sacrifices. Sergiu Sava, a security officer, summarizes the general sentiment: “Better to be without gas and electricity than at war. But how long can we hold on?”

Italian group Eni signs a twenty-year liquefied natural gas supply contract with US-based Venture Global, covering two mn tonnes per year and marking a first for the company from the United States.
The discovery of the Gajajeira field marks a major step for Angola, strengthening its natural gas development strategy and diversifying national energy resources in a context of sector transition.
The Voskhod vessel, under US sanctions, docked at the Arctic LNG 2 plant in Russia, marking the second visit by a sanctioned ship to the site this year, according to maritime tracking data.
Japan has urgently secured several additional cargoes of liquefied natural gas from the United States to avert an imminent electricity supply shortage caused by rapidly declining national reserves expected at the end of July.
The European Commission has unveiled a proposal to prohibit the import of Russian gas into the Union, sparking intense debate on its feasibility, contractual impact and consequences for supply security among several Member States.
CNOOC Limited announces the discovery of a significant oil and gas reservoir in the buried hills of the Beibu Gulf, opening new opportunities for shallow water exploration off the coast of China.
TotalEnergies’ Mozambique LNG gas project is at the centre of a legal challenge in Washington, following the approval of a $4.7 bn loan by the US Exim Bank, amid security concerns and opposition from civil society groups.
Investors are closely watching U.S. midstream companies’ announcements regarding new gas pipeline expansions targeting promising markets in the West and Northeast, beyond traditional regions in Texas and the Southeast.
PPL Corporation and Blackstone Infrastructure announce a strategic partnership to develop new gas-fired power plants to supply electricity to data centers through long-term contracts in Pennsylvania.
Technip Energies has secured a contract to lead preparatory works for a floating liquefied natural gas unit in Africa, confirming its presence in the international gas infrastructure market.
The Slovak government is seeking guarantees from the European Union to secure its supplies as talks continue over ending Russian gas and adopting a new round of sanctions.
ArcLight Capital Partners announces the acquisition of Middletown Energy Center, a combined-cycle natural gas power plant, aimed at meeting the substantial rise in energy demand from data centers and digital infrastructure in Ohio.
The commissioning of LNG Canada, the first major Canadian liquefied natural gas export facility led by Shell, has not yet triggered the anticipated rise in natural gas prices in western Canada, still facing persistent oversupply.
Horizon Petroleum Ltd. is advancing towards the production launch of the Lachowice 7 gas well in Poland, having secured necessary permits and completed preliminary works to commence operations as early as next August.
European Union member states have requested to keep their national strategies for phasing out Russian gas by 2027 confidential, citing security concerns and market disruption risks, according to a document revealed by Reuters.
TotalEnergies becomes a member of PJM Interconnection, expanding its trading capabilities in North America's largest wholesale electricity market. The decision strengthens the company's presence in the United States.
Turkey has connected its gas grid to Syria’s and plans to begin supplying gas for power generation in the coming weeks, according to Turkish Energy Minister Alparslan Bayraktar.
Despite record electricity demand, China sees no significant increase in LNG purchases due to high prices and available alternative supplies.
US natural gas production and consumption are expected to reach record highs in 2025, before slightly declining the following year, according to the latest forecasts from the US Energy Information Administration.
Naftogaz announces the launch of a natural gas well with a daily output of 383,000 cubic meters, amid a sharp decline in Ukrainian production following several military strikes on its strategic facilities.