Chișinău, Moldova
[Remarks as Prepared]
DEPUTY ADMINISTRATOR ISOBEL COLEMAN: Thank you, Ambassador [Kent] Logsdon. Good afternoon, everyone. Minister [Victor] Parlicov, it’s great to see you again today on this side of the Atlantic. Thank you for leading Moldova’s efforts to build a diverse, independent, secure energy supply, and for bringing us together today to mark an exciting and important next step in that effort.
The Moldovan people are in the process of undertaking projects and reforms that are going to generate significant, positive change, attract private investment, and raise living standards. These reforms are not easy, and many will take time. But they are extraordinarily important, and will soon benefit all of the Moldovan people.
Today, I’m here to convey a commitment from the United States to support Moldova in undertaking one of these exceptionally important projects. Together, our work will result in a high-voltage transmission line connecting Moldova to the European energy grid. That’s a positive connection both literally and symbolically.
Literally, this transmission line, combined with others being built around the country, will help end a critical vulnerability and dependence on Russian energy sources. And at the same time, it will ensure more reliable and affordable electricity for Moldovans. And symbolically, it is yet another example of the way that Moldova is ensuring its future security and prosperity by further integrating with Europe.
Today, I am pleased to sign a Memorandum of Understanding between the Government of Moldova and USAID to work together to construct a 400 kilovolt power line between Moldova and Romania, from Strășeni to Gutinaș. Situated just 30 kilometers from Chisinau, this power line will provide an alternative source of electricity that can safeguard against power outages, while supporting economic growth and security.
The MOU that we’re signing today reflects the United States’ firm belief in the people and government of Moldova, and is meant to help you achieve the future you deserve. It is one part of a $220 million investment – that’s 3.8 billion Moldovan Lei – we’re making in Moldova’s energy sector, and comes on top of the nearly $77 million USD – almost 1.4 billion Moldovan Lei – we transferred to the Moldovan Government last September to help offset some of the high electricity prices caused by Russia’s war in Ukraine.
Building this transmission line is just one of the ways that the Government of Moldova is looking toward the future when it comes to energy security and resilience. Equally important are efforts to help Moldova reduce overall energy use and build more generation using renewable energy resources, so that Moldova can have more domestic generation – and have a diversified, sustainable energy mix. These are efforts that we are proud to support.
The work that we’re celebrating today has been the product of tireless dedication and admirable collaboration between our Moldovan and Romanian partners. I know many of your team members have worked long hours to meet short deadlines in order to bring this MOU to life.
And so I’d like to thank the teams at Transelectrica and Moldelectrica – the Romanian and Moldovan transmission system operators of this power line – who have worked together and under short deadlines to identify the connection points of the transmission line on the Moldovan and Romanian territories. On behalf of USAID, I want to commend the dedication of these teams, and all who made it possible to bring this vision to life.
We at USAID, and across the U.S. Government, look forward to continuing to work together toward our shared vision of a secure energy future that supports Moldova’s autonomy and enables the Moldovan people to thrive.