Romania's Energy Minister Sebastian Burduja
The appointment of OPEM did not happen by chance exactly on the eve of July 1, 2025. From this date Romania will switch to full liberalization of the electricity market, i.e. with purchase/sale at free prices. This will directly affect the electricity market in Moldova, the prices and volumes of import purchases, as Romania is the main supplier. Currently, Romanian imports account for 75-85% of domestic electricity consumption in right-bank Moldova.
ANRE justifies its decision by the fact that the agency analyzed the situation and was convinced: OPEM has the technical infrastructure necessary to operate on the trading floors; there are sufficient capacities to supervise the market and cooperate with the European authorities; reliable systems have been created for clearing and settlement of the transactions to be carried out. Naturally, NRATI does not say anything about what will be the tariffs for electricity consumers in Moldova – higher or lower than the existing ones?
The preparations for the announcement of OPEM as the designated electricity market operator in Moldova were made in advance. There were even public consultations. After all, ANRE was well aware and understood that with Romania’s transition to full liberalization from July 1, 2025, Moldova will have to purchase all the electricity imported from Europe at free prices. Therefore, it is necessary to comply with the trading methods of the international energy exchanges (in Bucharest), with the purchase/sale of electricity a day in advance. OPEM fully corresponds to these objectives.
It has an office in Chisinau and is a subsidiary of the natural gas and electricity market operator OPCOM (energy exchange) in Romania.
Back in December 2023, then Energy Minister Victor Parlicov announced that the Romanian energy exchange OPCOM will register its subsidiary in Chisinau, which will become the operator of the electricity market in Moldova. With an authorized capital of 500 thousand lei.
Then OPEM was appointed by the Moldovan government on February 21, 2024 as the operator of the electricity market in our country. Shortly thereafter, on March 19, 2024, ANRE issued OPEM a license to operate on the electricity market.
In other words, the road to operating on the Moldovan market for OPEM was initially paved with roses. Without any “thorns” in the form of competitors or options.
According to Romanian experts, full liberalization of the market from July 1 will lead to an increase in light tariffs in Romania and Moldova, which in recent months has received the most electricity from across the Prut. Therefore, from Moldova’s point of view, it would be reasonable to listen carefully to the Romanian experts’ assessment of the situation.
At the very end of June 2025, the Romanian press published an article entitled “Liberalization of the energy market: the truth no one talks about anymore”. The author, Virgil Popescu, MEP, an engineer by training, was Minister of Energy from 2019 to 2023 in several governments.
The article notes in particular: “It seems that everyone has just discovered energy market liberalization. But the historical truth is different: the electricity and natural gas market in Romania was liberalized on January 1, 2018. This was a move with serious consequences. Electricity and natural gas prices rose in Romania in the second half of 2021, even before the events in Ukraine. What did we do then? We imposed restrictions and compensation for light and gas. Without local industry, Romania remains vulnerable. That’s why all the measures taken had one goal: to support local producers and ensure the country’s energy security.”
Virgil Popescu’s key message: vulnerable citizens must be protected. And calls on the Romanian Ministry of Energy to act even after the “new life” of the market after July 1. Not to observe, not to wait, but to intervene where market mechanisms risk penalizing household consumers, especially those with low and middle incomes. The sharp price increase announced by Hidroelectrica – from 280 lei to more than 450 lei – is a clear signal that liberalization must be managed and not left to an “every man for himself” policy. It is necessary to rethink the offer to the population…..
And a few days ago, the current Minister of Energy, Sebastian Burduja, commented on the statements of Romanian MEP Diana Shoshoake. Rejecting her words, the minister, in the context of the liberalization of the market from July 1, 2025, called false the information about allegedly free electricity and natural gas.
“Romania does not supply free electricity or gas to any country,” the minister emphasized. – We have not given, do not give and will not give to anyone, neither to the Republic of Moldova nor to Ukraine. All supplies are made at market prices, which in the current regional conditions may be higher than they have been so far”.
As they say, the last thing is remembered…..
