Government declares state of alert in energy sector in connection with external situation to maintain stability of energy system
Today the Government declares a state of alert in the energy sector, for a period of 60 days, in connection with the external situation. The measure is a preventive one, intended to protect domestic consumption and maintain the stability of the energy system. The supply of petroleum products and electricity is not and will not be interrupted, and stocks for the next 30 days are guaranteed for consumption.
The decision was taken after an analysis of external factors by the National Crisis Management Center, the Ministry of Energy and the National Agency for Energy Regulation. At present, there is increased volatility on oil markets in the context of the situation in the Middle East, damage to Ukraine’s energy infrastructure as a result of repeated attacks by the Russian Federation, as well as the shutdown or maintenance work at refineries in the region.
“The purpose of declaring the state of alert is to maintain sufficient stocks of petroleum products for domestic consumption; to ensure the continuity of electricity supply, especially during peak consumption hours; to protect household consumers and critical infrastructure,” said Serghei Diaconu, Director General of the National Crisis Management Center.
The draft Government decision introduces temporary conditions on the export of petroleum products, only if stocks fall below safety thresholds. It also provides for measures to prioritize domestic electricity consumption during peak hours, in order to protect the stability of the system. At the same time, a temporary strengthened coordination regime is introduced for 60 days, and state reserves will be replenished.
It should be noted that, unlike a state of emergency, which involves a strict regime, the state of alert is a preventive measure that allows the authorities to act more quickly and coordinate the responsible institutions more efficiently, so that the available energy resources cover, as a priority, domestic consumption in the Republic of Moldova.
“I urge citizens to trust the institutions: there is no reason for excessive purchases of fuel, there is no point in queuing at gas stations. The stocks currently available and those that we are securing through our measures cover the necessary consumption, and the introduction of the state of alert has precisely this purpose – to make sure that petroleum products and energy resources remain sufficient on the domestic market,” stressed Serghei Diaconu.
