Moldova faces power supply problems due to problems in Ukrainian networks

Due to serious problems in the Ukrainian power grid, on the morning of Saturday, January 31, at 10:42 a.m., the voltage on the 400 kV Isaccea-Vulcanesti MPP line dropped, causing an emergency shutdown of the power system.

This was reported by the press service of the Ministry of Energy of the Republic of Moldova.

According to the ministry, the electricity transmission system operator, Moldlectrica, is working to remedy the situation, and the voltage in some settlements has already been restored.

On the night of January 31, as predicted by weather forecasters, the weather in the Odesa region deteriorated, with temperatures dropping and snow starting to fall. Difficult weather conditions across almost the entire Odesa region resulted in wire breaks and damage to power grid elements due to ice freezing.

As of the morning of January 31, customers in Podilskyi, Berezivskyi, Rozdilnyanskyi, Bilhorod-Dnistrovskyi and Odesa districts are still without power. In Odesa, electricity is being supplied to critical infrastructure facilities.

"Ukrenergo has introduced a mode of emergency power outages in the region, with no schedules in place.

14:02 Meanwhile, the State Customs Service of Ukraine said that the passage of vehicles and goods on the Ukrainian-Moldovan border is temporarily suspended due to the failure of the central databases of the customs authorities of the Republic of Moldova.

It was not the first time Moldova was on the brink of an energy crisis at the beginning of the year. Thus, on January 1, 2025, electricity supplies from the Moldovan SDPP to unrecognized Transnistria were completely stopped, as only two out of four units were in operation. Then, due to the cessation of Russian gas supplies to Transnistria, the station was switched to coal and produced electricity only for household consumers and life support enterprises.

According to the Black Sea and Azov Sea Hydrometeorological Center, cold air will spread almost everywhere between January 31 and February 1. In early February, cold or very cold weather will prevail everywhere.

Meanwhile, the Black Sea and Azov Sea Hydrometeorological Center forecasts moderate snow at night on January 31, with heavy snow in some places. During the day, there will be light snow in some places. Ice, ice cover. At night, in some places there will be a blizzard, slush build-up. Northwest wind, 9-14 meters per second, gusts of 15-17 meters per second. The temperature at night and during the day will be 2-7 degrees below zero, at night in the north up to 10 degrees below zero.

February 1 is cloudy with clearing. No significant precipitation. Ice cover. Northwest wind, 9-14 meters per second. The temperature at night will be 10-15 degrees below zero, during the day 6-11 degrees below zero.

On February 2-3, the temperature at night will be 10-15 degrees below zero, in some places up to 20 degrees below zero, during the day 7-12 degrees below zero.

Кирило Бойко