The Republic of Moldova will establish a national system of strategic reserves of oil and petroleum products for at least 90 days to prevent possible fuel supply crises. The measure appears in a draft law prepared by the Ministry of Energy of Moldova, which sets new rules for the creation, management and use of emergency reserves.
Under the proposal, the country must maintain minimum stocks equivalent to 90 days of net imports of petroleum products or 61 days of domestic consumption, with the higher value applied. According to calculations presented in the explanatory note, for the reference year 2023 this level would equal about 295,830 tons of oil equivalent in petroleum products.
The draft law creates the legal framework to ensure fuel supply security and to allow rapid intervention in the event of major market disruptions. The initiative also aims to align legislation of the Republic of Moldova with rules of the European Union by transposing the EU directive that obliges states to maintain minimum reserves of oil and petroleum products.
To manage these reserves, the document provides for the creation of a central storage entity, an autonomous public institution that will purchase, maintain and release emergency stocks when a major supply disruption occurs. At the same time, about 95,000 tons of gasoline and diesel will be created in material form, meaning physical stocks managed directly by this entity. Importers may maintain the remaining volumes or store them through contracts, including outside the country, under conditions set by law.
The Government will also create a Council for the Security of Petroleum Product Supply composed of representatives of public authorities and the energy market. The council will analyze risk situations and propose measures in the event of a possible crisis.
Data in the document show that the Republic of Moldova depends almost entirely on imports for fuel consumption. In 2023, petroleum product imports totaled about 825,000 tons, of which more than 70 percent was diesel and nearly 20 percent gasoline.
The authors of the draft say that establishing strategic reserves will increase the country’s energy resilience and allow rapid intervention in case of major supply disruptions, reducing risks for the economy, transport and the agricultural sector. Currently, the Republic of Moldova does not have a functional system of emergency petroleum reserves.
Existing fuel stocks in Moldova are sufficient to cover current market needs. Diesel stocks in depots and fuel stations currently cover about 15 days of demand, while gasoline stocks are sufficient for around 20 days.