Moldova Faces Winter Utility Hikes Amid Surging Energy Costs

Moldova's energy regulator will review tariff increases on September 28 following petitions from major utility operators to raise prices for natural gas, central heating, and cogeneration power.

The regulator has received petitions from state energy supplier Energocom and district heating operators seeking significant price adjustments due to surging import costs.

Energocom requested a near 30% increase in household gas tariffs, citing a 43% surge in forecast import prices. The regulator proposed raising the retail tariff from 18.79 MDL to 24.20 MDL per cubic meter, with VAT included at 26.13 MDL.

District heating operators requested even larger increases, with Termoelectrica seeking an 82.6% tariff hike and CET-Nord requesting a 96% rate increase. The regulator trimmed these requests, setting projected final consumer prices of 3,277 MDL and 3,643 MDL per gigacalorie, respectively.

The government has announced plans to maintain its targeted on-bill compensation program for over 620,000 households, estimated to require €113.8, €118.8 million across the five-month heating period.