The ex-Soviet republic already has its Russian gas supplies cut off following Moscow's 2022 invasion of Ukraine, but still relies on electricity from a gas-fired power plant located in the pro-Moscow separatist region of Transdniestria.
These electricity supplies are now at risk as Ukraine has halted Russian gas supplies to Europe and Moscow is not seeking alternative supply routes to the power plant due to an old trade dispute.
"From 16 December, a state of emergency will be introduced throughout Moldova," the Moldovan parliament said in a statement after the measure was approved by 56 (out of 101) lawmakers.
The government said that "insufficient energy resources, which directly and immediately affect the security of the state and citizens", necessitate the introduction of a state of emergency.
The measure will allow the government to mobilise the resources of the country of 2.6 million people, sandwiched between Ukraine and Romania, and to respond more quickly to events.
"We need to ensure that this winter is the last during which the Kremlin can threaten our energy security", Prime Minister Dorin Rechan said during the debate.
The Moldovan government is pinning its hopes on a new high-tension line between the capital Chisinau and neighbouring Romania to "put an end to energy blackmail".
This power line is under construction, but is not expected to be completed before the end of 2025.
However, Ukraine has said it has no plans to renew the contract - which expires at the end of the year - to transport Russian gas to Europe.
That would cut off supplies to Transdniestria and its Cucurgan power plant, which provides 70% of Moldova's electricity.
Rechan insists that Russia's Gazprom may use alternative routes to transport gas to Moldova to meet its contractual obligations until 2026.
"Russia is holding Transdniestrians hostage and using them to destabilise Moldova and the region," he said.
Last week, the Moldovan government fired its energy minister for failing to adequately deal with the energy crisis.
For its part, the Kremlin is demanding repayment of some $700 million in debt that Chisinau does not acknowledge.
The debt dispute pre-dates the 2022 invasion of Ukraine and stems from a sudden increase in tariffs decided by Moscow in 2021 | BGNES
