Moldova imposes 60-day energy emergency after Russian strikes in Ukraine cut key power line

CHISINAU, Moldova (AP) — Moldova’s Parliament voted on Tuesday to impose a state of emergency in the country’s energy sector after Russian strikes on neighboring Ukraine’s energy grid disconnected a key power line linking Moldova to Romania.

The overnight strikes triggered the disconnection of the high-voltage Isaccea-Vulcanesti power line, which links southern Moldova to EU member Romania, after which Moldovan authorities urged citizens to consume electricity “rationally” during peak hours while repairs were underway.

Seventy-two lawmakers in the 101-seat legislature approved the measure that will last for 60 days. No one voted against and 18 abstained.

“What is happening in the energy sector today is not an accident,” said Moldovan Prime Minister Alexandru Munteanu. “Russia’s attacks on the civilian energy infrastructure in Ukraine represent a war crime, but also an attack on us, here in the Republic of Moldova ... Russia is the only one responsible for this."

The state of emergency will begin on Wednesday. It will allow authorities to “act faster: mobilize additional resources, protect critical infrastructure and, if necessary, take additional measures to limit the effects of the crisis,” Munteanu added. “We remain vigilant and act for the safety of every citizen ... This is not a measure of panic, it’s a measure of responsibility."

Moldova’s Soviet-era energy systems remain interconnected with Ukraine, and the country has suffered periodic outages since Russia fully invaded Ukraine in 2022. Moldova’s energy minister Dorin Junghietu said estimates to repair the damaged power line is around five to seven days.

Moscow has repeatedly targeted Ukraine’s civilian infrastructure, such as dams and river ports, throughout the full invasion. The impact of the war next door has reverberated across Moldova, a former Soviet republic with EU candidate status, since the full invasion began.

Last week, tens of thousands of Moldovans were left without water after another Russian strike on a hydroelectric plant in Ukraine resulted in oil polluting a major river that flows through both countries.

The Ukrainian plant is situated about 15 kilometers (9 miles) upstream from Moldova’s northern border with Ukraine and supplies water to about 80% of Moldova’s population of about 2.5 million. In January, Moldova experienced major power outages, including in the capital, Chisinau, after a disruption to a power line from Ukraine caused a drop in voltage.

Moldovan President Maia Sandu blamed Moscow directly on Tuesday, saying that “Russia continues to deliberately undermine the security of the Republic of Moldova and endanger the lives of our citizens.”

“After the bombing of the Ukrainian hydroelectric power plant ... tonight, a new brutal attack led to the disconnection of the Isaccea-Vulcanesti line, which in certain periods provides 60-70% of our electricity consumption,” she wrote on Facebook. “All these are not accidents, but deliberate actions of Russia to weaken and leave Moldova in the dark.”

Russia has repeatedly denied it is trying to destabilize Moldova.

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McGrath reported from Leamington Spa, England.