Moldova discusses energy security with US officials

The energy security of the Republic of Moldova, as part of regional and European security, as well as current progress on the Vertical Gas Corridor project, were among the main topics discussed by Energy Minister Dorin Junghietu with U.S. Energy Secretary Chris Wright during a recent working visit to the United States, CE Report quotes MOLDPRES.

The officials reviewed several concrete proposals to further develop the Vertical Gas Corridor, which will strengthen and enhance regional energy stability and security.

The discussions also focused on Moldova’s energy security. Minister Junghietu reiterated that for Moldova, energy is not only an economic issue but also a matter of national security, and that permanently eliminating the energy dependencies that have made Moldova vulnerable in the past is a strategic objective.

Another topic of discussion was further developing the energy partnership between Moldova and the United States, including the construction of the Strășeni – Gutinaș high-voltage power line, financed by the U.S., and how American expertise, technologies, and investments can bring significant benefits to both countries, anchoring Moldova in the Euro-Atlantic space.

Moldova and Ukraine joined the Vertical Gas Transport Corridor in 2024, which also includes Greece, Bulgaria, Romania, and Hungary. Launched in 2016, the Vertical Corridor now integrates the Trans-Balkan pipeline and allows the transport of natural gas from Greece to Moldova and underground storage facilities in Ukraine. The pipeline can transport both pipeline gas from Azerbaijan and liquefied natural gas (LNG), including from the United States, from the Greek terminals of Revythoussa and Alexandroupoli.

Historically, the Trans-Balkan pipeline transported Russian gas to the Balkans through Ukraine, Moldova, and Romania, but became inactive after Russia redirected exports to the TurkStream 1 and 2 lines in 2020. A significant portion of the transport capacity along the Trans-Balkan Corridor remains underutilized, despite growing demand for south-to-north gas flows toward Ukraine.

To encourage the use of this route, a unique transport product was created on this corridor, which offers transport fee discounts: 25% in Greece and Bulgaria, 50% in Romania and Moldova, and 46% in Ukraine, provided the gas is transported through a series of designated points directly to underground storage facilities in Ukraine.