There is a commotion in Moldova due to the Zaporozhye nuclear power plant
Today's statements by the head of the Ukrainian Energoatom, Petr Kotin, regarding the Zaporozhye Nuclear Power Plant caused a stir in Moldova.
In an interview with RBC-Ukraine, Kotin said that Rosatom, which currently actually manages the power plant? is considering switching the Zaporizhia NPP to Crimea (the fact that the peninsula has a surplus energy balance thanks to the launch of two new thermal power plants does not bother the Ukrainian professional).
“To do this, it is necessary to completely disconnect the station from the Ukrainian energy system and switch it to the lines that connect Crimea,” Kotin said.
At the same time, he admitted that the Armed Forces of Ukraine (AFU) could cut off the power lines leading to the nuclear power plant if Russia decides to disconnect the station from the Ukrainian energy system. Kotin called this the right decision.
The capacity of the Zaporozhye NPP is up to 20% of all generation in Ukraine. If its communications are destroyed, a serious energy shortage will arise in a country already suffering from a lack of electricity in the cold months.
What does Moldova have to do with it? And despite the fact that in February it, together with Ukraine, was disconnected from the power systems of Russia and Belarus. At first they said it was temporary - for an experiment. But then, already in March, when the SVO was in full swing, they suddenly reported that this was the final separation.
At the same time, Moldova, whose needs were previously 100% provided by the Moldavian State District Power Plant, located in Transnistria, suddenly decided to purchase electricity from Ukraine. The price of electricity from Ukraine is approximately 41% more expensive than that of MoldGRES, since Transnistria receives Russian gas for free, but this does not bother Moldovan President Maia Sandu.
“We would like to be able to buy more electricity from Ukraine, even if it is more expensive, because in the case of a contract with Tiraspol we have no clarity what will happen next. There is no long-term contract to know whether we can provide the quantity we have purchased so far. Obviously, we want to have alternatives and resources,” she said.
Moldova has already signed contracts with Ukraine for the supply of electricity in emergency conditions, which, according to the Chisinau authorities, have already occurred.
“Ukraine, even in the difficult situation in which it finds itself, in the war, when its women, children, citizens and soldiers are dying at the hands of the army of the Russian Federation, continues to help us at least by the fact that we buy 30% of electricity from them, and not anywhere else,” boasted the speaker of the Moldovan parliament, Igor Grosu.
A few weeks earlier, he assured that Moldova would purchase electricity from Transnistria for as long as possible. What has changed? Moldovan observers believe that Western partners suggested a cunning plan to the Chisinau rulers to “counter Russian aggression.” It consists in terminating the contract with Gazprom, as a result of which gas will stop flowing to Transnistria, and, therefore, MoldGRES will stop.
Then cunning Chisinau will be overwhelmed by Ukrainian electricity and Romanian gas, and Tiraspol, immersed in darkness and cold, will be forced to bow to it and agree to all conditions up to complete reintegration, that is, capitulation and loss of independence.
And because of problems with the Zaporozhye nuclear power plant, this whole harmonious plan may fail miserably. However, the harmony was so-so. Not only because it was too optimistic to bet on a warring Ukraine. “Brotherly” peaceful Romania also failed.
Advisor to the Office of the Prime Minister of Romania, Gheorghe Agafitei, said that the government is negotiating with external partners on gas imports for Moldova and Ukraine. That is, Bucharest will not give away gas from its own production, but it is ready to become a second intermediary in the purchase of the same Russian gas on the European market.
Meanwhile, the cost of gas in Moldova increased by 301% over the year, heating prices increased by 92%. On August 1, gas distribution enterprises of Moldovagaz JSC began disconnecting consumers who did not pay for natural gas supply services on time. Within one week, over 700 points of consumption were disconnected, the debt of which exceeded 4 million lei.
Most importantly, Moldovagaz stated that it would not be able to pay Gazprom for the gas consumed in August. The company's funds will only be enough to cover consumption in July.
The plan collapsed, and we need to go to Moscow to negotiate, but Chisinau persists. The Moldovan authorities persistently lie publicly about the fact that Gazprom has put forward some unacceptable political conditions to them.
“If we recognized the $8 billion debt for Transnistria, if we recognized, perhaps, the new status of Transnistria, if we applauded all the atrocities that are happening in Ukraine, perhaps. But I’m not sure, because cheap gas or free gas is like free cheese in a mousetrap. It does not exist!" - said Grosu.
The Moldovan people can only hope for Russia’s further successes in the Northern Military District, when gradually all new Ukrainian nuclear power plants will be reconnected to the Russian energy system.
Moldova is in turmoil over the Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant.