Transdniestria, a breakaway region of Moldova, has switched its main power plant to coal following the halting of Russian gas supplies on January 1, according to Vadim Krasnoselsky, the region’s leader. The move aims to ensure electricity availability for residents in January and February amid an ongoing energy crisis. The gas cut-off, reportedly resulting from the severance of supplies through Ukraine, has led to widespread heating and hot water disruptions in the region, still largely dependent on Russian energy.
Krasnoselsky gave an update saying that Transdniestria’s gas reserves would suffice for up to 10 days of limited use in the northern areas and up to 20 days in the southern parts. Despite these, the region was hit by devastating challenges, calling for emergency intervention from the authority. Among some of the responses is the gas supply to residences for cooking. Schools were immediately switched to distant learning, with 30 heating and hot food provision sites introduced throughout the region.
The Moldovan government has responded to its own energy crisis, setting a goal to reduce consumption by at least one-third, where 38 percent of the energy will be domestic production, which includes 10 percent from renewable sources. This remaining energy shall be imported mostly from neighboring country Romania.
