SE Moldelectrica. Moldova-Romania Power Systems Interconnection Project

B: BtB Power Station in Bălți and 400 kV Bălți-Suceava Power Line

PART 2 OF THE PROJECT: BtB Power Station and 400 kV Bălți-Suceava Power Line

Project Goals

Asynchronous connection of Moldova's and Romania's electric grids is an important step towards integration into the European electricity market. This process will allow the Republic of Moldova to participate in the European electricity market through "ENTSO-E" (European Network of Transmission System Operators for Electricity).

Project Objective

Part 1: Feasibility assessment and environmental, social, and economic impact evaluation (EIMS) for the first priority project (implemented and approved)
BtB Power Station in Vulcănești and the 400 kV Vulcănești-Chisinau Power Line

Part 2: Feasibility assessment and development plan for the next priority project (in progress)
BtB Power Station and 400 kV Bălți-Suceava Power Line (current project)

Client

MOLDELECTRICA State Enterprise

Consulting Consortium

ISPE – Institute for Energy Research and Design, Romania - Coordinator
ICPT "Energoproiect", Republic of Moldova
IVL – Institute for Environmental Research, Sweden

Project Duration and Category

Project Category: “A”
Planning Stage: 8-10 months

Feasibility assessment and development plan for the second priority project (subject of this document)

Implementation Stage: 2.5 years

10-12 months – Procurement procedures, engineering and design, permits and approvals, land acquisition (expropriation)
18-20 months – Construction, including construction process organization, testing, and commissioning

Operation and maintenance stage: 30-40 years
Dismantling Stage: 3-8 months

Expected Results

    • Initial and interim reports
    • Technical and economic justification
    • Financial and economic analysis
    • Information dissemination package:
        ◦ Environmental and Social Impact Report (ESIR)
        ◦ Social and Environmental Impact Management and Monitoring Plan (SEI&MP)
        ◦ Non-Technical Summary (NTS)
        ◦ Stakeholder Engagement Plan - Final Version (SEP)
When determining funding sources, the project will transition from the planning phase to the implementation phase, including the preparation of design works, obtaining permits/licenses, construction and installation of equipment, commissioning, and operation.

Key Analysis and Impact Minimization

Project (Part 2) analyzes, from technical, economic, and social perspectives, the following components:

New 400 kV "Back to Back" substation and modifications at the existing 330/110 kV substation in Bălți
New 400 kV power transmission line (PTL) between Bălți and Suceava substations.

Three alternatives were considered for selecting the optimal route for the new PTL. Based on a multi-factor analysis, Alternative 2, the 400 kV Bălți-Suceava PTLroute, was chosen as optimal.

Technical parameters (e.g., PTL length, coexistence with other infrastructure such as roads, railroads, rivers, other PTLs and communication lines, pipes, etc., route accessibility, route complexity, investment costs, etc.)
Socio-economic factors (e.g., access to agricultural lands, deforestation, land ownership in areas intersected by local communities and productive agricultural areas, expropriation with relocation or compensation, temporary impacts on air quality (dust and particles), noise due to increased traffic intensity and volume during preparation and construction, etc.)
Environmental parameters (e.g., intersection of protected forest areas, rivers, and lakes, electromagnetic field impact, ecosystem, flora, and fauna impact, visual impact, etc.)
Cultural heritage (e.g., impact on monuments and historical buildings, intersection of archaeological sites, etc.)

The decision to select Alternative 2 (marked in purple) was aimed at minimizing potential consequences such as land impact, deforestation, cultural heritage impact, monuments, relocation or compensation, property losses, and changes to economic activity.

Stakeholders

Government officials and politicians
Regulatory bodies
Local and regional authorities
Project developers, investors, and financial institutions
Research institutes and academic institutions
Non-governmental organizations
Local population and citizens potentially affected by future construction and operation of the power line
Media

For further information

Any comments or concerns can be directed to MOLDELECTRICA either verbally (by phone) or in writing (by mail or email) through the completion of a complaint form. The form will be available at town halls, schools, community centers, and other public places conveniently located for all stakeholders.
https://moldelectrica.md/ro/finances/mold_rom_project

Project Manager: Vyacheslav Zastavnetsky, Deputy General Director of SE Moldelectrica
[email protected]

Social and Environmental Issues: Nelly Melnicenco
[email protected], телефон 22 253396

Technical Issues: Octavian Ciobîrca [email protected]

No.	Description	Publication Date
1	Public complaint form	07/26/2021
2	Complaint submission form	07/26/2021
A. Final EIMS Packaging
1	Environmental and Social Impact Report (EIMS)	05/15/2023
2	EIMS Report Appendices	05/15/2023
3	Social and Environmental Impact Management and Monitoring Plan (SEI&MP)	05/15/2023
4	Land Acquisition and Compensation Framework (LACF)	05/15/2023
5	Non-Technical Summary (NTS)	05/15/2023
6	Stakeholder Engagement Plan (SEP)	05/15/2023
7	Part A 2 of the project: BtB Substation and 400 kV Bălți-Suceava Power Lin	05/15/2023
8	Environmental Agreement No. 08	08/21/2024

ЭThis project is funded with the support of the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD). The content of this material reflects the views of the authors and does not necessarily represent the official position of the EBRD.

A: Back-to-Back (BtB) Substation in Vulcănești and 400 kV Vulcănești-Chișinău Power Line

The European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) is considering providing a loan to the Republic of Moldova in the amount of up to EUR 80 million, with the State Enterprise "Moldelectrica" as the ultimate borrower, for the construction, equipment, and commissioning of:

A direct current (DC) back-to-back (B2B HVDC) installation at the Vulcănești Substation necessary to ensure connectivity between the electricity grids of Romania and Moldova – i.e., interconnection between the European Network of Transmission System Operators for Electricity (ENTSO-E) and the Integrated Power System / United Power System (IPS / UPS)

A 400 kV power transmission line between Vulcănești Substation and Chisinau Substation (financed by the World Bank)

Extensions at Chisinau Substation

Extensions at the Vulcănești 400 kV Substation

This agreement is part of a comprehensive project with financing of up to EUR 270 million, to be provided jointly by the European Investment Bank (EIB), World Bank (WB), and the European Commission’s Neighbourhood Investment Facility.

PROJECT SUMMARY

Project Objectives

The asynchronous interconnection of Moldova’s and Romania’s power grids is an important step towards integrating into the unified European electricity market. This process will enable Moldova to participate in the European electricity market through "ENTSO-E" (European Network of Transmission System Operators for Electricity).

Project Goal

Part 1: Feasibility and environmental, social, and economic impact assessment (EIMS) for the first priority projects
A: BtB Substation in Vulcănești and 400 kV Vulcănești-Chisinau Power Line

Part 2: Economic feasibility and development plan for the next two priority projects
B: BtB Substation and 400 kV Suceava – Bălți Power Line
C: BtB Substation and 330/400 kV Romania – Ungheni – Strășeni Power Line

Client

"MOLDELECTRICA" State Enterprise

Consulting Consortium

ISPE – Energy Research and Design Institute, Romania - Coordinator
ICPT "Energoproiect", Republic of Moldova
IVL – Environmental Research Institute, Sweden

Project Duration and Category

Project Category: “A”

Planning Stage: 20-24 months
- Feasibility and EIMS assessment (Environmental, Social, and Economic Impact Assessment) for the first Priority Project (subject of this document)
Implementation Stage: 4 years
- 12-15 months – Procurement procedures, engineering and design, permits and licenses, land acquisition (expropriation)
- 27 months – Construction works, including site organization, testing, and commissioning
Operation and maintenance stage: 30-40 years
Decommissioning stage: 3-10 months

Expected Results

Initial and interim reports
Technical and economic justification
Power system analysis
Financial and economic analysis
Open data for dissemination:
- EISM Report (Environmental and Socio-economic Impact)
- Social Management, Environment, and Monitoring Plan (MSMPM)
- Non-Technical Summary (NTS)
- Stakeholder Engagement Plan – Final Version (SEP)

From the point of defining funding sources, the project will transition from the planning phase to the implementation phase, which includes preparing the project for execution, obtaining permits/licenses, manufacturing and installing equipment, construction works, commissioning, and long-term operation.

This route was selected based on minimizing the potential negative impacts associated with the project (for instance: area of land and forested areas to be expropriated; impact on cultural heritage and monuments; relocation and/or compensation; material and economic losses, and changes in economic activity).

Stakeholders:

Government officials and politicians
Regulatory authorities
Local and regional authorities
Project developers, investors, and financial institutions
Research and scientific institutions
Non-governmental organizations
Local communities
Media

For further information:

During public consultations, a questionnaire will be available for all interested parties. Once completed, it should be submitted to the secretariat of the public consultations. These will be available in town halls, schools, community centers, and other public places easily accessible to all relevant stakeholders.
In addition, after the public consultations, any questions or comments can be submitted to MOLDELECTRICA, either orally (by phone) or in writing (by mail, including email), using a special notice form. These forms will be available in town halls, schools, communication centers, and other public places accessible to all stakeholders. Both forms can also be downloaded from the MOLDELECTRICA website www.moldelectrica.md
Project Manager: Vyacheslav Zastavnetsky, Deputy Director-General of the State Enterprise "Moldelectrica"
[email protected]
Environmental and social aspects: Nelly Melnicenco [email protected], тел. (022) 253-396
Technical inquiries: Octavian Ciobîrcă [email protected]

#	Description	Publication date
1	Acordul de mediu pentru Proiectul "Interconectarea sistemelor electroenergetice ale Republicii Moldova şi al României prin construcția LEA 400 kV Vulcănesti-Chişinău"	02/17/2020


A. Program realizare EIM
1	Program realizare EIM	07/27/2017
B. Final ESIA Package
2	Environmental and Social Impact Assessment (ESIA) report with Annexes	07/27/2017
3	Environmental and Social Management and Monitoring Plan (ESMMP)	07/27/2017
4	Land Acquisition and Compensation Framework (LACF)	07/27/2017
5	Non-Technical Summary (NTS)	07/27/2017
6	Stakeholder Engagement Plan (SEP)	07/27/2017
7	Feedback form	07/27/2017
C. Preliminary Scoping reports
8	Preliminary environmental and social analysis and ESIA scoping report	07/27/2017
9	ESIA scoping report (Appendix A) – Map with protected areas	07/27/2017

This project is financed with the support of the EBRD. The content of this brochure reflects the opinions of the authors and does not necessarily represent the views of the EBRD.