The history of the Moldavian power system
The story began a little over 100 years ago. Its foundation was laid in 1909 when the first power plant in Chișinău started operating, equipped with two diesel generators of 160 horsepower each.
In April 1936, the first 35 kV high-voltage line (LEA) from Tiraspol to Caragaș, 12 km long, was commissioned. This allowed the power plant of the Tiraspol canning factory to supply electricity to the irrigation system, state farms, and collective farms in Caragaș.
In November 1951, the 35 kV high-voltage line Chișinău - Dubăsari, 41.8 km long, was built. This connected the Chișinău power plant (CET) and enabled electricity supply to the construction site of a new energy project - the Dubăsari Hydroelectric Power Plant (CHE Dubăsari). In March 1955, with the commissioning of the 110/35/6 kV power station at the Chișinău power plant, the Dubăsari - Chișinău line was upgraded to 110 kV. Thus, Moldova had its first 110 kV high-voltage line.
On September 28, 1955, the newly established Moldovan Energy Combine created the republic's first high-voltage enterprise - the Electric Grid Administration, based in Dubăsari. This entity took over the management of assets from CHE Dubăsari, including the 110 kV Dubăsari – Chișinău and Dubăsari - Tiraspol lines, as well as the first 110/35/6 kV Tiraspol substation built in 1955. The Moldovan Energy Combine formed the foundation for the Moldovan Energy System.
From that point on, energy infrastructure in Moldova developed rapidly. New 35-110 kV high-voltage lines and substations were built and brought into operation, gradually covering the country's regions.
In June 1962, based on two enterprises - the Electric Grid Administration and "Moldselenergo" - the Moldavenergo Regional Energy Directorate formed four enterprises to manage electric grids: East (Dubăsari), Central (Chișinău), North (Bălți), and South (Comrat). The new enterprises inherited 53 substations, either already built or under construction, including 18 substations of 110 kV and 35 substations of 35 kV.
A new stage in the development of high-voltage networks was the construction and commissioning of 220-330-400 kV lines and substations.
The construction of the first 220 kV high-voltage lines and substations occurred simultaneously with the building of the largest power plant in the country - the Cuciurgani Republican State Power Plant (CERS). In 1963, the 220 kV CERS Cuciurgani - Chișinău and CERS Cuciurgani - Usatovo lines were built. In 1964, the Chișinău 220/110/35 kV substation was constructed. Later, 330 kV lines and 330 kV substations were built: Bălți (1970), Cotton and Paper Plant (ХБК) (1974), Strășeni (1976), and Rîbnița (1983). In 1983, the process of upgrading the Chișinău 220 kV substation to 330 kV, which began in 1968, was completed.
Other significant events included the commissioning of the 400 kV CERS Cuciurgani - State Border line in 1970 and the Vulcănești 400/110/10 kV substation in 1972.
In 1976, a 330 kV line connecting Bălți and the Ladyzhynska Thermal Power Plant (Ukraine) was built. In 1978, the Costești - Stânca Hydropower Complex was completed, along with 110 kV lines linking Moldova's energy system with neighboring energy systems in Ukraine and Romania.
In recent years, the energy system has undergone structural changes that paved the way for the creation of the state enterprise "Moldelectrica".
On January 1, 1961, the Moldovan Energy Combine was reorganized into the Moldavenergo Regional Energy Directorate under the RSSM Economic Council. On January 1, 1963, growing energy capacities provided the basis for forming a new structure: the General Directorate for Energy and Electrification under the Council of Ministers of RSSM, "Moldglavenergo." This transition marked the adoption of a sectoral management principle, centralizing the production and distribution of electricity within the republic.
After the dissolution of "Moldglavenergo" on August 29, 1988, the "Moldenergo" energy and electrification production association was created, which on June 15, 1994, was transformed into the state company "Moldenergo" by Presidential Decree. The next step was the reorganization of the state company into the "Moldtranselectro" State Enterprise on November 13, 1997.