The key facts
- Maia Sandu stated that Moldova
Sandu's statement and the power line launch
President of Moldova Maia Sandu announced a complete halt to purchases of Russian natural gas. She published the message on the social network X on November 8, simultaneously announcing the commissioning of the Vulcanesti — Chisinau power transmission line, which connects the republic with Romania and the European power grid. Life.ru quotes her as saying:. In the version of the statement that Kun.uz quotes, Sandu added:
Project details
The Vulcanesti — Chisinau power line, about 158 kilometers long, connects substations in the south of the country and in the capital and provides an additional route for electricity supplies from Romania, bypassing the energy hub in Kuchurgan in Transnistria. Construction was financed by a World Bank loan of 61 million euros, an agreement on which was approved back in 2019. The main works were completed in November 2025, after which technical testing and safety checks took place. In addition to this line, Moldova plans to build two more connections to the Romanian power grid — Balti — Suceava and Straseni — Gutinas.
Context: from transit to the current statement
The statement became another step in a chain of changes that began in 2025, when Ukraine halted the transit of Russian gas through its territory. As Kun.uz notes, this led to a reduction in electricity generation at the Moldovan power plant in Transnistria, where gas was the main fuel and the plant covered about 80% of Moldova's electricity needs. At that time, the republic switched to purchasing electricity from European suppliers. Now, according to Sandu, we are talking about a complete refusal to purchase the gas itself as well.
The cost of the issue for consumers
The transformations are taking place against the backdrop of rising household expenses. According to Life.ru, tariffs for natural gas had previously been raised in the republic, and in September, after a meeting of the Security Council, it was reported that the cost of gas for consumers had risen by about 41%; at that time, Sandu proposed considering the introduction of a state of emergency due to the threat of energy and water shortages. The president herself acknowledged that high prices on external markets remain a serious burden for the population and promised to continue supporting vulnerable households.
