CET-Nord has launched a tender for a 70 MW battery storage project at the Bălți Thermal Power Plant
The selected private partner will finance, build, operate, and maintain the project without state funding support
The tender is aligned with Moldova’s strategy to expand energy storage capacity to strengthen grid stability and support renewable energy integration
CET-Nord, the state-owned energy company of Moldova, has launched a tender to select a private partner to develop a 70 MW battery energy storage system (BESS) at the Bălți thermal power plant in the country.
The selected bidder will be required to finance, design, construct, install, commission, and operate the storage facility. According to the tender documentation, the selected partner will fully finance the project without financial support from CET-Nord.
CET-Nord already holds a grid connection permit issued by the state-owned transmission system operator Moldelectrica, allowing the future system to connect to the national electricity network.
The project has been classified as a strategic investment initiative critical to Moldova’s energy security and forms part of the country’s broader push to expand energy storage infrastructure and integrate more renewable energy into the grid.
According to the Ministry of Energy, the state will act as a facilitator for strategic investments, while the technical and financial implementation will be handled by the selected private partner.
The storage system is expected to help balance electricity supply and demand, improve grid stability, and increase the use of renewable energy by storing excess electricity during periods of high generation and supplying it during peak demand hours.
Under the tender terms, applicants must demonstrate technical experience with power plants or storage systems with a capacity of at least 5 MW implemented within the last 7 years, along with adequate financial capability. Bidders are also required to provide a financial guarantee of MDL 7 million.
The tender documentation states that the project must make use of the existing grid connection permit before its expiry on July 17, 2026, with the possibility of an extension of up to 2 additional years.
Submissions are due by May 21, 2026, while the signing of the partnership agreement is scheduled for June 4, 2026. Details of the tender are available on CET Nord’s website.
The tender follows the recent commissioning of Moldova’s largest BESS project in Rădeni, which combines a 60 MWh battery system with a 50 MW solar park.