The Energy Efficiency Agency together with the Ministry of Energy will implement a Super-ESCO program for public sector buildings. This involves investing in energy efficiency in buildings and recouping the annual savings over a period of time, after which the building owner will pay less for the energy consumed. Energy services or ESCOs differ from ordinary energy efficiency investments in that the money comes from the company carrying out the work and is then recovered by the company from the energy savings.

The pilot project will be implemented in two public buildings with the support of the USAID Moldova Energy Security Project (MESA) and will be taken over and further implemented by the reforming AEE. In this regard, the Ministry of Energy and MESA signed on Wednesday a memorandum providing for technical assistance in the development of the legal and regulatory framework, as well as investments in two public buildings. The memorandum was signed in the presence of USAID Deputy Assistant Administrator for Europe and Eurasia Erin McKee, who is visiting the Republic of Moldova, and US Ambassador Kent Longsdon.

The Super ESCO program will establish a framework with measurable and verifiable energy efficiency results and promote the effective implementation of performance-based contracting projects and mechanisms, facilitate the use of mixed financing in the public buildings sector that could access multiple sources of financing (private resources, loans, beneficiary's own resources, etc.) and help mitigate financial risks.

MESA specialists will support the Ministry in developing legislation on the procurement of energy services, a national protocol for the measurement and verification of energy savings, a methodology for estimating baseline energy consumption, and support the development of a licensing scheme for energy service companies or ESCOs.

The USAID Moldova Energy Security (MESA) project supports the Government of Moldova's efforts to fortify and diversify the country's energy sector, strengthening long-term energy security and thus supporting Moldova's sovereignty. The MESA will be implemented in close cooperation and coordination with the Government of the Republic of Moldova, with the objective of: (1) improving the physical and market integration of the Republic of Moldova's energy system with Europe, (2) increasing the integration of renewable energy and enhancing climate resilience, and (3) attracting investment in domestic power generation and energy efficiency.