Moldova faces one of its harshest winters after the announcement on January 1 of an alleged non-payment of 709 million dollars, a figure that the Moldovan government categorically rejects. “We are facing a crisis that is difficult to resolve,” he points out. Associate Press a postman in the town of Chisinau, Petru Murzin, who fears being left “without heat or light.”
The outage threatens to paralyze the Kuciurgan power plant in the separatist region of Transnistria, controlled by pro-Russians. This plant, which depends on Russian gas, generates much of the country’s electricity. The situation has already led the Moldovan parliament to declare a state of emergency in the energy sector, with forecasts of sub-zero temperatures aggravating the risk of humanitarian collapse.
Moldova’s Prime Minister Dorin Recean accuses the Kremlin of using gas as a “political weapon” to destabilize the country. President Maia Sandu, for her part, denounces that Russia seeks to influence the 2025 parliamentary elections and stop Moldova’s European aspirations. “It is crucial to remain united and supportive, using energy rationally,” says Sandu.
Meanwhile, in Transnistria, home to 470,000 people, many of them with Russian citizenship, fear is growing. International observers point out that Moscow could take advantage of the crisis to exacerbate tensions between Chisinau and Tiraspol, the de facto capital of the region. “A humanitarian conflict in Transnistria could overwhelm Moldova’s resources and fuel criticism against the pro-European government,” warns Cristian Cantir, professor of international relations.
Emergency measures
Faced with uncertainty, the Moldovan government has implemented measures to reduce energy consumption, such as reducing lighting in public and commercial buildings by 30%. However, for residents like Iuliana, who works from home, power and heating outages would be an unsustainable blow. “It is the first time we have faced something like this. “We are scared,” he confesses.
Although Moldova has diversified its access to gas following the Russian invasion of Ukraine, it remains partly dependent on Moscow. In this context, the nationalization of strategic assets such as Moldovagaz could be an option, according to Prime Minister Recean. However, this will not alleviate the looming pressure on Transnistria’s citizens and refugees, who may arrive en masse seeking warmth and shelter.
Tension is growing in a country desperately seeking solutions before temperatures drop and power supplies stop completely. “Many will come here, looking for warmth,” warns Murzin, while imagining long lines at the borders. The energy crisis in Moldova not only tests the resilience of its population, but also its ability to resist the pressure of a Kremlin that plays with fire in the middle of winter.
