Power station in Moldova
The Cuciurgan power station (Romanian: Termocentrala de la Cuciurgan, Russian: Молдавская ГРЭС, romanized: Moldavskaya GRES), the largest power station of Moldova, is located in Dnestrovsc, Transnistria, on the shores of the Cuciurgan Reservoir bordering Ukraine. Commissioned on 26 September 1964, the facility produced as of 2021[update] about 79% of Moldova's electricity.[1]
Technical features
The power stations has installed capacity of 2,520 MW. It is fueled by natural gas, fuel oil and coal.[2] The plant produces some 75% of Moldova's electricity needs.[3] 51% owned by Inter RAO UES since 2005, in November 2008, Inter RAO UES and Moldelectrica signed an agreement to separate some power units in the power station from the IPS/UPS system and synchronize them with the synchronous grid of Continental Europe in Romania through the 400 kV Kuchurhan–Vulcănești and Vulcănești–Isaccea transmission lines.[4]
Operation
The power station is operated by Moldavskaya GRES, a 100% subsidiary of Russian owned Inter RAO UES.[5] It is the largest power company in an area comprising Moldova and southern Ukraine. The company exports power to Ukraine, Romania and Russia. It was privatized in 2004 by Transnistrian authorities, but official Moldova does not recognize this privatization.[6]
Debt liability
The Cuciurgan power station owes an estimated $9 billion to Gazprom in 2022 as it has not paid for gas usage for over 15 years.[7]
Planned termination of sales to Moldova
In November 2022 the power station ceased supplying Moldova with electricity after Russia reduced gas supplies.[8] Recommenced in early 2023, by May 2023 Moldova announced it would no longer be buying electricity from the Cuciurgan power station once a high-voltage power line from Romania is installed, scheduled for 2025.[9]
