The electricity market rules have been amended by the Board of Directors of the National Agency for Energy Regulation (ANRE), thus aiming at developing short-term energy markets and maintaining the necessary balance in the energy system of the Republic of Moldova and reducing the volume of imbalances. These amendments address a number of aspects of the energy market related to the development of centralized short-term electricity markets that ensure more flexible transactions and reduce costs for imbalances.

The new amendments establish the functioning of the short-term electricity markets - the day-ahead market (DAM) and the intraday market (IDM), which from this year are managed by the Romanian Energy Market Operator (OPEM), a subsidiary of the Romanian energy market operator, SC OPCOM SA.

In this context, after the approval of the new amendments, energy producers and suppliers will be able to procure and sell electricity as close to the time of delivery as possible, reducing the risk of imbalances and thus avoiding additional related costs.

Through these amendments, ANRE transposes the European Union practice to the energy market of the Republic of Moldova, offering new opportunities for producers and suppliers, which can stimulate the interest of investors and the development of competitive energy projects.

We recall that the Government of the Republic of Moldova designated the subsidiary of the Romanian energy market operator, OPEM, as the electricity market operator in February of this year and ANRE granted the necessary license for its operation in March 2024.

The operator will ensure the functioning of the day-ahead electricity market (PZU), the intraday electricity market (PPZ) and the organized contract market.

Recently, the Electricity Market Operator launched its own website, www.opem.md, on which the internal procedures necessary for conducting transactions will soon be posted for public consultation, followed by the registration of market participants and the first transactions in a test regime.

The functioning of short-term electricity markets will allow hourly trading of electricity on the wholesale market, at different prices. This will also facilitate the introduction of differentiated tariffs depending on the time of consumption and more energy from renewable sources will be able to be integrated into the energy system of the Republic of Moldova.