At its meeting on Thursday, 21 December, the Government introduced a mechanism for the temporary licensing of the Dnestrovsc Thermal Power Plant (MSDPP) in the Transnistrian region, as well as the obligation for all economic agents on the left bank of the Dniester to obtain an environmental permit and pay for environmental pollution, realitatea reports.
Licenses for the Dnestrovsc Thermal Power Plant (known as the Cuciurgan Power Plant)
The government has created a mechanism for temporary licensing of economic agents in the Transnistrian region “until the necessary mechanisms for regulating and controlling participants in the energy market are defined and approved.”
The aim of the project, according to the Reintegration Policy Bureau, is to ensure the security of energy supply for consumers on both the left and right banks of the Dniester.
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What is the licensing process?
First, the thermoelectric power plant must submit a temporary registration application to the Public Services Agency. Thus, it is necessary to obtain a temporary registration statement from the agency.
To receive the license, this extract must be submitted, as well as an application accompanied by evidence of the technical equipment required to carry out the licensed activity and the availability of qualified staff.
Licenses for activities in the energy sector are issued for six months, with the possibility of obtaining a new license upon expiry of the previous one.
An environmental permit is mandatory for everyone.
The government has also removed legal provisions that allowed economic operators in the Transnistrian region to clear goods without paying for environmental pollution and made environmental permits compulsory.
The Office of Reintegration Policy believes that this creates conditions for fair competition through full payment of pollution charges by all economic agents registered with the Public Services Agency.
The plant belongs to Russia.
The plant was illegally privatized in 2005, after which it became part of the Russian group “Интер РАО.”
The main shareholder of “Интер РАО” is “Rosneftegaz” (26.37%) and “Интер РАО Капитал” holds 29.56% of the company’s capital. At the end of 2021, another 8.57% was owned by ПАО “ФСК ЕЭС” – “Россети,” and 34.24% was in free float.
“Rosneftegaz” is controlled by the Russian government. Also, it is under sanctions from Ukraine and Canada.
It should be recalled that in 2004, the parliament adopted a law on the privatization of enterprises in the left bank of the Dniester River and the municipality of Tighina. Thus, the privatization of enterprises carried out in violation of this law and other laws of the Republic of Moldova is invalid from the moment the privatization agreement is concluded. Based on the provisions of this law, the Chisinau authorities do not recognize the privatization of the Thermoelectric Power Plant on the left bank of the Dniester.