COPANCA, Moldova — The power outages affecting the village of Copanca have become a routine challenge for 73-year-old retiree Vasili Donici. To pass the time during these electrical shutdowns, Donici occupies himself with crosswords and puzzles lit by a modest gas lamp. He notes, “It’s a bit hard without electricity,” and ensures he has enough firewood ready to keep his wood stove operational, which is important for him and his wife to maintain warmth. “There’s still gas … but it will end soon,” he added, highlighting the looming issue of energy availability.
Located just a few kilometers from the controversial Transnistria region, known for its pro-Russian separatist stance, Copanca is grappling with a significant energy crisis. Following Russia’s suspension of gas supplies to this region on January 1, which was allegedly due to a $709 million debt related to past energy deliveries, many inhabitants have been left without heating and hot water. This action from Gazprom, Russia’s state-controlled energy firm, occurred right after a gas transit agreement between Russia and Ukraine lapsed, impacting the Kuciurgan power station, which is the primary electricity provider for Moldova.
The energy crisis in Transnistria affects Copanca and numerous other villages governed by the Moldovan authorities, leaving them tied to the Soviet-era infrastructure that risks their already fragile energy supply. Currently, scheduled outages last for four hours, occurring twice a day across the region. Even after some adjustments were made to pivot the Kuciurgan plant from gas to coal, issues with outages persist, creating even more uncertainty. Donici remarked on the difficulties of living under these conditions, recalling a day when electricity was cut for eight hours: “Everyone is scratching their heads, figuring out what to do so they don’t freeze.”
Moldova’s government has accused Russia of leveraging energy as a tool to destabilize the nation, aiming to interfere with future elections in 2025. Prime Minister Dorin Recean suggested that Russia seeks to manipulate Moldova’s governance to establish a pro-Russian administration that could bolster Russian military presence in Transnistria. According to Recean, “What they want to achieve is to have a pro-Russian government in Moldova that would ultimately allow for the consolidation of the military capacity of Russia in the Transnistrian region, and correspondingly to use this leverage over Ukraine.”
Transnistria, which operates as a self-proclaimed state following a brief war in 1992, has been under significant strain due to the gas crisis, prompting it to declare a state of emergency. Predominantly Russian-speaking, the region’s approximately 350,000 residents include many with Moldovan citizenship. Moreover, Transnistria houses around 1,500 Russian troops stationed as peacekeepers in the area. Moldova has frequently pointed to Russia’s influence, asserting that it conducts a “hybrid war” through electoral interference, funding unrest, and spreading misinformation to undermine pro-European governance.
Last month, Moldova’s parliament implemented a state of emergency in the energy sector, concerned that the ongoing crisis could lead to severe shortages and humanitarian challenges, particularly as winter temperatures plummet. In response, Chisinau rolled out energy conservation initiatives, including reducing lighting in public facilities by at least 30% and scheduling energy-intensive businesses to operate during less busy hours. Strengthening ties with Romania, Moldova’s state energy agency, Energocom, increased electricity imports to meet demand, albeit at higher rates.
Investing in joint efforts, EU foreign affairs chief Kaja Kallas labeled Russia’s actions as a strategy of utilizing energy for geopolitical advantage. She noted that thanks to EU backing, Moldova remains resilient and well-linked to European energy systems. In an effort to enhance energy security, Moldova’s government announced they would work to connect communities dependent on Transnistrian energy supplies with the national power grid.
Copanca’s mayor, Afanasii Cutzari, acknowledged that while residents cope with the planned outages, a complete gas shutdown would pose imminent challenges. “Where possible, people bought generators, but that’s also not a solution,” he argued, expressing concerns about essential services in the village, such as the kindergarten and medical facilities, should gas cease altogether. “It would be better if electricity and gas were always available,” he stated.
Prime Minister Recean has indicated that since the onset of the energy crisis, his government extended offers to procure gas for Transnistria, but Tiraspol, the unrecognized region’s capital, has declined. “This crisis is induced by the Russian Federation to destabilize the Republic of Moldova,” he emphasized during a recent statement.
Following a visit to Copanca, Moldovan President Maia Sandu shared that assistance in the form of power generators and firewood supplies has been offered to local leaders. “We communicated with them that we are doing our best to provide them alternatives that provide light, water and heat for their families,” she commented, mentioning ongoing discussions for further external assistance.
Local business owner Carina Cazac reported that when news of the crisis broke, residents rushed to gather food staples and supplies, causing a swift sellout of generators and oil lamps. “A lot of people were stressed, and they started buying gas lamps,” she recalled. While many own wood-burning stoves that help to navigate the winter, she pointed out that the rising costs of generators make solutions unattainable for everyone.
