- Moldova gets two EIB Global loans totalling more than €244 million for heating project in capital Chisinau and new hospital in southern city of Cahul.
- Credits of €143.5 million to upgrade Chisinau’s district heating network and €101 million to build medical centre for residents of Cahul and neighbouring cities.
- Financing highlights European support for Moldova as country seeks EU membership.
The European Investment Bank’s development arm (EIB Global) is lending Moldova a total of more than €244 million for planned energy and healthcare upgrades in the country. EIB Global is providing a €143.5 million loan to bolster district heating in the capital Chisinau and a €101 million loan to build a hospital in the southern city of Cahul.
Termoelectrica SA, Moldova’s largest heating company, will carry out the district heating project, which includes replacing outdated vertical systems in apartment buildings with horizontal pipelines, installing individual substations and improving building distribution networks. The moves are projected to cut energy consumption by 25%, lower heating bills and reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 7% over the next two decades.
The Moldovan Ministry of Health is responsible for the planned hospital in Cahul, southern Moldova. The hospital will serve around 300,000 people in Cahul and neighbouring Moldovan cities including Comrat, Leova, Ceadir-Lunga, Taraclia, Cantemir and Vulcanesti.
“We are helping improve daily life for people across Moldova – from better healthcare in the south to more efficient heating in the capital,” said EIB Vice-President Teresa Czerwińska. “We are supporting Moldova’s priorities, strengthening public services, aligning them with European Union standards and improving energy infrastructure to reduce Moldova’s dependency on Russia.”
The EIB Global financing highlights European support for infrastructure development in Moldova as the country seeks EU membership.
The districting-heating works in Chisinau, which has a population of around 750,000, are due to be completed in seven years. The project will also reduce heat costs for customers, improve access to hot water for homes connected to the network, and helping cut pollution and emissions.
“This project is a strategic investment that will contribute to improving the quality of life for approximately 300,000 households in the city. Through the installation of 2,510 Individual thermal points and the conversion of 1,665 apartment buildings to a modern horizontal distribution system, we will ensure each apartment gains greater control over its consumption, increased energy efficiency, and, consequently, lower bills for citizens,” said Minister of Energy Dorin Junghietu. “Through this joint effort, we send a clear message: looking to the future means making smart investments, caring for citizens, and taking responsibility for the environment.”
The hospital in Cahul is scheduled to be built by 2030.
“Signing this financing contract with the European Investment Bank marks an important milestone for our healthcare system,” said Moldovan Health Minister Ala Nemerenco. “It is for the first time that two regional hospitals will be built from scratch in the Republic of Moldova, one in Cahul and another in Bălți, in line with the highest European standards. The Cahul Regional Hospital will mean real access to modern and high-performance medical services for over 300,000 people in the south of the country. It is a concrete step toward equity in healthcare and a firm commitment by the Ministry of Health to build a sustainable system that is close to the citizens.”
Both EIB Global loans are being complemented by funding from other sources.
The district-heating project is being co-financed by the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) and by grants from the EU and a multi-donor fund known as Eastern Europe Energy Efficiency and Environmental Partnership (E5P). The hospital project is receiving technical assistance through contributions from the EU, an EIB-focused initiative called the Eastern Partnership Technical Assistance Trust Fund (EPTATF), a Swedish finance institution named Swedfund and the EIB’s own EU for Ukraine Advisory Programme.
“It is high time to reduce wasteful energy consumption in Moldova through projects like these, not only because of savings but because your quality of life and your future,” said EU Ambassador to the Republic of Moldova Jānis Mažeiks. “Behind every euro invested is a Moldovan family whose life gets better, with warmer homes, reliable healthcare, and real hope for the future. These investments go beyond infrastructure; they bring dignity, security, and opportunity to people’s everyday lives.”
Background information
The European Investment Bank (EIB) is the long-term lending institution of the European Union owned by its Member States. It makes long-term finance available for sound investment to contribute towards EU policy goals.
EIB Global is the EIB Group's specialised arm devoted to increasing the impact of international partnerships and development finance, and a key partner in the Global Gateway. We aim to support €100 billion of investment by the end of 2027, around one-third of the overall target of this EU initiative. With Team Europe, EIB Global fosters strong, focused partnerships, alongside fellow development finance institutions and civil society. EIB Global brings the Group closer to local people, companies and institutions through our offices around the world.
EIB Global and Moldova: Since establishing its presence in Moldova in 2007, the EIB’s total investment in the country has reached about €1.75 billion across more than 30 projects. These investments support EU policy objectives in key sectors such as energy security and efficiency, transport, healthcare, agriculture, private sector growth, and forestry. As the European Union’s financing arm, the EIB continues to support Moldova’s development and path towards EU integration through strategic investments, including under the EU’s Growth Plan for Moldova.