A member country of the Energy Community, Moldova assumed the transposition into national legislation of the provisions of the 3rd Energy Package of the European Union and, subsequently, to implement its provisions, said Veaceslav Untila, general director of ANRE of the Republic of Moldova – ANRE RM, during the first edition of the conference series “Regional Approach: Partners in energy – global expertise, local opportunities”, organized by energynomics.ro, in Chisinau.
“After the approval, in March and May 2016, of three important laws on electricity and natural gas, as well as on the promotion of renewable energy sources, the European directives were transposed. ANRE RM, together with other authorities, have the responsibility for their correct elaboration and implementation. In September 2017, the Moldovan Parliament adopted the energy law that created the premises of the regulatory authority in accordance with the 3rd European Energy Package”, Untila said.
In elaborating the regulatory normative acts ANRE RM had the support of the Energy Community Secretariat, the EU4Energy program, the experience and the best practices in the field from the EU countries and the Energy Community.
Thus, the regulatory normative acts were elaborated: the Regulations regarding the supply of electricity and natural gas, the Regulations regarding the connection to the electricity and natural gas networks and the provision on the electricity and natural gas transmission and distribution services, the methodologies for approval, implementation and adjustment of regulated prices and tariffs on electricity, Regulation on the quality of electricity transmission and distribution services, Regulation on planning and approval of investments in the electricity and natural gas sectors and Regulations on the development of electricity and natural gas distribution networks.
“In the next period, ANRE is to finalize the elaboration of the projects regarding the Market Rules for electricity and natural gas, the Codes of the electricity and natural gas networks, the Regulations regarding the access to the electricity and natural gas transmission networks and the congestion management. These are very important regulations, necessary for the development of the electricity and natural gas markets”, Untila said.
At the same time, ANRE RM elaborated the regulatory norms necessary to promote the production of electricity from renewable sources: the methodology for determining the fixed tariffs and prices for electricity produced by the eligible RES producers, the Regulation on guarantees of origin for the electricity produced from renewable energy sources, the Regulation regarding the confirmation of the status of eligible producer and others.
“At the same time, the Agency is to develop the procedure for fixed tariffs and ceiling prices on renewable energy produced by eligible producers,” he said.
“Liberalization of the electricity market, the possibility of choosing the supplier by the final consumer of natural gas and electricity, negotiating the contract and the price of supplying electricity and natural gas, improving the quality of the services provided, diversifying the sources of electricity and natural gas supply, and, last but not least, lower prices for electricity and natural gas – these are consumers’ wishes. For the fulfillment of these desires, the license holders must respect the regulatory normative acts, to implement investment projects that will lead to the efficiency of the activities, the reduction of the operating and maintenance costs, the reduction of losses and the improvement of the services.”
At the same time, in the thermo-energy sector, ANRE RM elaborated the regulatory norms for the license holders in this sector, in order to promote the projects of thermal energy and cogeneration. For the most substantial implementation of the new provisions, ANRE RM needs an exchange of experience with similar authorities in the EU states, especially from Romania, concluded Untila.