Construction of the Vulcănești–Chișinău Power Line Completed

Construction and installation works on the Vulcănești–Chișinău high-voltage transmission line have been completed, and the project is now entering the technical testing phase, Logos Press reports.

Contractors confirmed the installation of the final support tower and the laying of the last kilometer of cable. After construction, both the transmission line and the new aerial infrastructure must undergo inspections and test energization procedures, which will last at least two months. Although structural works are completed, the technological components are not yet ready for full operation.

At the Chișinău 330 kV substation, installation of core equipment is nearing completion, with overall progress at around 78%. At the Vulcănești 400 kV substation, works are 58% complete: the metal frame has been erected, and installation of the main systems has begun, according to UCIPE.

Construction of the 157 km transmission line began in April 2024 and was scheduled for completion in December 2025. The line crosses 35 settlements across 8 districts, linking the Vulcănești 400 kV substation to the Chișinău 330 kV node. With a capacity of 630 MVA, it will enable Moldova to import electricity from Romania, bypassing the Moldavskaya GRES, covering over 50% of national peak demand.

UCIPe Director Ruslan Surudjiu noted that the project faced economic and logistical challenges, partly due to the regional context, yet solutions were found and the schedule was maintained.

The project “Energy System Development” is implemented by the Moldovan government through UCIPE with support from the World Bank Group. The total cost is €61 million, of which €27 million has already been utilized for construction.

IDR Commentary:
The completion of the Vulcănești–Chișinău transmission line marks a strategic leap in strengthening Moldova’s energy security and reducing dependence on the Transnistrian Moldavskaya GRES. It is also a decisive step toward deeper interconnection with Romania and the European electricity market. For the broader Danube–Black Sea macro-region, the project enhances grid stability, increases resilience, and improves conditions for cross-border energy flows, including potential redistribution toward the Galați–Giurgiulești–Reni corridor. In the long term, this infrastructure contributes to shaping a unified and secure regional energy architecture spanning the EU, Moldova, and Ukraine.