There’s no peace in the world
The main message is the following: the crisis in this sector should not be seen as an isolated event related to the Vulcanesti-Isaccea overhead power line, but as a sequence of external shocks that required a gradual, decisive and strategically oriented response to protect citizens.
From the beginning of March 2026, risk indicators signaled the first disruptions in the fuel supply system. Government Resolution No. 81/2026 established a state of high alert in the energy sector.
At this stage, the main task was to monitor stocks and prepare for possible shortages. It was noted that disruptions in the Strait of Hormuz, a highway through which 20 percent of the world’s oil and 25-30 percent of liquefied natural gas passes, were beginning to have a negative impact on international quotations.
At the same time, at the regional level, the situation was already tense due to the operation of refineries in Romania, the main source of 78% of diesel imports and 99% of gasoline imports for Moldova, which severely limited the volumes available for imports.
Shortage of instruments
Although the emergency regime was activated, the instruments available under this mechanism were only administrative in nature. Under this mechanism, the state had no legal right to intervene in fuel price calculation mechanisms; to make derogations from the Urban Development Code for green energy projects; to protect energy supply organizations from having their bank accounts blocked; or to intervene in emergency procurement.
The paper emphasizes that the national situation was already critical when the state of emergency was declared. Global developments and regional pressures had turned vulnerabilities into an acute crisis.
Worse, the mechanism for calculating the price of diesel based on a 14-day average became an obstacle: importers were no longer motivated to import goods that the government was forcing them to sell at prices based on old quotations, and the problem was no longer the final price to the consumer, but the very availability of the product at the gas station. The market was already on the verge of being blocked, and the administrative tools of the state of emergency were no longer sufficient to ensure the availability of product at gas stations.
In this already tense context, the turning point came on March 23, 2026, when Russian attacks on infrastructure in southern Ukraine knocked out the 400 kV Vulcanesti-Isakcea transmission line, which normally supplied about 60-70% of the country’s electricity needs. Power flows from Romania quickly dropped to 0, resulting in a huge deficit of 350-400 MW per hour.
What was done
Parliamentary Resolution No. 38/2026 declared a state of emergency to unlock additional leverage. This allowed the CNMC to operate on two main levels:
- Electricity sector: to ensure uninterrupted power supply in the homes of citizens;
- The petroleum products sector: to move from scarcity to stability.
In the electricity sector, the state of emergency allowed, inter alia:
– Repairs in record time. The state-owned enterprise Moldelectrica was allowed to procure critical equipment through direct negotiations. Cooperation with operators from Ukraine, Romania and other European countries proved to be extremely productive, the line was put back into operation on March 28, 2026, 5 days after the start of the works
– Also, by way of derogation from the Town Planning Code, it was allowed to quickly install storage and balancing systems without bureaucratic procedures for obtaining construction permits. This measure was taken to significantly reduce the timeframe for green energy projects. In addition, a consumption reduction plan was implemented that reduced energy consumption nationally by about 3%, saving vital resources during peak hours.
The measures taken during the state of emergency in the petroleum products sector were the most visible to citizens. While 182 gas stations reported diesel shortages on March 26, only 41 (6.9% of the total) remained after the implementation of the balancing measures. The measures applied included:
– Reducing the price settlement period from 14 days to 7 days. This allowed importers to balance their real purchasing costs and resume supplies. If this measure were to be abolished now and returned to 14 days, we would again block imports in a highly unstable international market. At the same time, in the event of lower prices for petroleum products on international exchanges – as seen following the recent announcement of a ceasefire in the Middle East – retaining the 7-day period will allow for faster application of price reductions at gas stations for consumers.
– In the case of Lukoil-Moldova Ltd, it was allowed to unblock the existing funds of this operator exclusively for the purchase of fuel and its delivery only within the country. The results were immediate: the stocks of Lukoil-Moldova Ltd. increased from 125 tons to more than 712 tons, and daily sales increased from 17 thousand liters to more than 241 thousand liters.
– Protective measures were also taken to mitigate panic, namely limiting the sale of fuel in containers to a maximum of 20 liters, which stopped impulsive stockpiling and stabilized consumption at the normal average of 1,500 tons per day.
An important objective of the crisis management strategy was to protect the agricultural sector, given that this period of instability coincided with critical stages of seasonal agricultural activities. Energy security is directly linked to food security, so diesel fuel stocks for agricultural operations were continuously monitored to identify and prevent risks of significant shortages for farmers in a timely manner.
The risks remain
Although the transmission line has been repaired, risks in the energy sector have not disappeared, the policy brief notes.
It should be taken into account that the Easter holiday period implies maximum mobility of the population and, consequently, intensification of fuel consumption due to increased domestic and cross-border travel.
At the same time, the cessation of operation of thermal power plants may significantly reduce cogeneration capacity, up to 200-220 MW. At the same time, in April, a number of industries are expected to resume operation at full capacity, which will lead to an additional increase in consumption. Under these conditions, despite market stabilization at the level of fuel supply for 6-7 days, there is a risk of gradual reduction of these stocks.
Why it is necessary to extend the Emergency for the period of the Easter holidays
Maintaining the state of emergency for the Easter holidays represents a measure of proportionality and strategic prudence, giving the government the necessary leverage to prevent any disruption at a time of possible vulnerability.
This decision is also dictated by the need to respond quickly to a set of external factors that could develop and act in a cascading manner. These factors include extreme instability in the Middle East, where disruptions in the Strait of Hormuz continue to put pressure on global oil and gas flows. While the ceasefire has brought prices down, international and national reports all indicate that prices and inventory levels will depend on the resumption of shipping and the opening of access routes in the coming weeks.
In parallel, work is underway with parliamentarians to advance legislative amendments that would subject emergency and crisis management activities to parliamentary oversight. At the same time, consideration is being given to revising the duration of the state of emergency regime to allow for a more flexible duration and the application of a wider range of measures to ensure rapid and effective intervention,” the CNMC explained the Government’s decision.
Earlier it was reported that Moldovan Prime Minister Alexandru Munteanu said today that it would be an irresponsible step to lift the state of emergency in the energy sector on the eve of the Easter holidays and in a difficult geopolitical situation.
