Energy Minister Dorin Junghietu, who is visiting Washington, held meetings with representatives of the World Bank Group and the investment fund Carlyle Group Inc. to discuss the progress and challenges of energy projects in the Republic of Moldova.
During talks with World Bank officials, Junghietu reviewed projects financed in the country, including the Vulcanesti Chisinau Energy Independence Line, the construction of 55 MW gas engine based cogeneration capacities, and options for building a new cogeneration plant with 250 MW of electric capacity and 180 MW of thermal capacity.
The minister stressed the strategic importance of these projects, and World Bank representatives reaffirmed their support for identifying the most effective implementation solutions.
During the same visit, Junghietu met a representative of Carlyle Group Inc., which manages more than 400 billion US dollars in assets globally, including oil and gas assets in Europe. The discussions focused on Carlyle Group acquisition of the assets of Lukoil International GmbH and on plans for their further development, the Ministry of Energy said in a statement.
The Government of the Republic of Moldova welcomed this intention and said it is closely monitoring the approval process of the transaction by the US Treasury Office of Foreign Assets Control.