The “SCADEX LiveGrid” project, a digital real-time monitoring system for low-voltage power grids, will be implemented within the Energy Regulatory Sandbox. The decision to approve the project was made in January by the Commission for Innovative Testing Spaces.

The project aims to test an innovative technological solution for real-time monitoring of low-voltage distribution networks, a critical segment of the energy infrastructure that is currently not systematically monitored at this level of detail. The proposed solution allows for continuous collection and analysis of power quality parameters such as voltage, frequency, and phase imbalances, as well as the identification of losses and other operational malfunctions.

The project will be implemented under controlled conditions within the Regulatory Sandbox, providing authorities with the opportunity to assess, under real operating conditions, the impact of advanced digital technologies on the functioning of distribution networks. The results will contribute to the development and adaptation of the regulatory framework, particularly regarding grid digitalization, power quality monitoring, and the use of data in operational processes.

Moldova has become the first country in Central and Eastern Europe to introduce a sandbox regulatory framework to promote innovation in the energy sector. The mechanism became operational after the Government approved, on 12 February 2025, the regulations for operating innovative testing spaces in the energy sector.

Innovators wishing to test advanced solutions in the energy sector can submit their applications via the dedicated web platform www.sandbox.energie.gov.md [1]. Areas with high testing potential in Moldova, for which applicants are encouraged to request sandbox approval, include: collective self-consumption and energy communities, e-mobility, grid flexibility and balancing services, integration of renewable energy sources, biogas and biomethane production, smart grids, and advanced energy-saving technologies for buildings.

The innovative testing space will be authorized for a maximum of seven years, with the possibility of a justified extension for an additional period of up to five years.

Project implementation will be overseen by the Commission for Innovative Testing Spaces in Energy Regulation, under the authority of the Government.

The Energy Sandbox mechanism promotes innovation in the energy sector by creating a controlled and flexible environment for testing and developing new technologies, thereby facilitating the transition to renewable energy for a sustainable future. The mechanism was developed by the Ministry of Energy of Moldova, with support from UNDP Moldova and funding from Denmark, Luxembourg, South Korea, and Sweden.