The new provisions were approved by orders of the Minister of Energy and published on 13 November 2026.
Construction in protected natural areas
One of the key changes concerns the lifting of the general ban on the installation of wind farms in all categories of protected natural areas. The feasibility of such projects will now be assessed on a case-by-case basis, taking into account the legal status of the land and the requirements of environmental legislation.
However, construction remains prohibited in areas under strict or full protection, in wetlands of international importance, on the surfaces of rivers, lakes and reservoirs, in forests, along major bird migration routes and in other areas where projects are incompatible with nature conservation objectives.
The mere fact that a settlement is situated within the boundaries of a protected natural area should no longer serve as grounds for refusing to issue the documents required to initiate and approve a project.
At the same time, projects must undergo the prescribed environmental impact assessment procedures and, where applicable, biodiversity impact assessments.
Safety distances and environmental requirements have been clarified
The updated guidelines specify the requirements for safety distances between energy installations and various facilities, including above-ground and underground pipelines for the transport of flammable liquids and gases.
When determining distances between wind farms owned by different operators, it is now also necessary to take into account the cumulative environmental impact of the facilities. This will enable the assessment not only of individual projects but also of their potential combined impact.
A separate set of amendments concerns the decommissioning of wind farms. Investors and plant owners will be required to prepare project documentation, obtain the necessary permits and ensure that the work is carried out in compliance with safety and environmental protection requirements.
Land must be restored following dismantling
The methodology also sets out specific requirements for the restoration of sites following the decommissioning of wind turbines.
Work is envisaged to level the site, carry out land reclamation, restore soil fertility and, where necessary, protect the soil and biodiversity. Investors will also be required to repair any roads damaged during construction and dismantling works.
Thus, the responsibility of equipment owners will extend not only to the safe removal of the turbines, but also to restoring the affected land to a satisfactory condition.
As noted by the Ministry of Energy, the amendments have been drawn up following representations from investors, industry associations and local public authorities. They highlighted the difficulties in applying the previous provisions of the methodology when approving wind farm projects.
Moldova has set a target of increasing the installed capacity of its wind farms to 390 MW by 2030. The clarification of the rules governing the siting and approval of such facilities should help to achieve this objective, although the actual pace of the sector’s development will also depend on other factors, including the availability of infrastructure and the conditions for connection to the electricity grid.
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