Pursuant to these Terms of Reference, Expertise France is looking to hire an International Consultant with extensive expertise and experience to support the NRA and ensure the successful completion of the mission. Hence, the International Consultant will be responsible for the development:

1.       within the scope of the Assignment no. 1, clear, effective, and EU‑aligned principles and rules governing the collective activity of prosumers of electricity from renewable sources, which ANRE will consider for integration into the following regulations: (1) Regulation on connection to electricity networks and the provision of electricity transmission and distribution services; (2) Regulation on electricity supply, and (3) future Regulation on energy sharing;

and

2.       within the scope of the Assignment no. 2, a robust Regulation on Citizen Energy Communities, aligned with EU legislation and best practices. The Regulation will establish the legal and institutional framework for the creation, organization, and operation of citizen energy communities, define the rights and obligations of their members, and set out clear procedures for grid connection, energy supply, and energy sharing, in full compliance with the provisions of Law No. 164/2025 on electricity.

Scope of Work:

The scope of work for each assignment shall encompass at least the following:

Assignment no. 1: The international consultant, with the support of local specialists, where appropriate, will be responsible for:

ü  Analysis of EU best practices: Conduct a comprehensive analysis addressing three key aspects of the collective activity of prosumers of electricity from renewable sources—grid connection, energy supply, and energy sharing—within the European Union. The analysis shall cover regulatory frameworks, market mechanisms, and relevant case studies with the focus on:

·         Technical norms and requirements applicable to the renewable‑energy prosumers’ power plant(s) located in buildings, including residential blocks;

·         Provisions regarding the number and type of electricity metering equipment, including devices with hourly or interval recording;

·         Principles governing the joint consumption of electricity from renewable sources generated by building‑based prosumers, including those in residential blocks, for the benefit of all renewable‑energy prosumers. These principles shall take into account the requirements concerning the modalities of joint consumption set out in Article 39³ paragraph (2) of Law No. 10/2026, as well as the existence or absence of electricity storage systems. The principles on joint consumption shall also consider the presence, within mixed‑use buildings or residential blocks, of prosumers exercising their rights as provided in Article 39³ paragraph (3) of Law No. 10/2026.

ü  Regulatory Assessment: Based on the findings of the analysis of EU best practices, conduct an assessment of the existing Moldovan regulatory framework on renewable energy and identify gaps or inconsistencies, aiming at:

·         Assessing of the current regulatory framework applicable to collective activity of prosumers of electricity from renewable sources in Moldova — specifically in relation to grid connection, energy supply, and energy sharing;

·         Comparing the identified EU best practices for collective activity of prosumers of electricity from renewable sources with the current state of play in Moldova, and assessment of their applicability;

ü  List of Principles and Rules: Providing clear, effective, and EU‑aligned list of principles and rules regarding the collective activity of prosumers of electricity from renewable sources in Moldova. This list shall be supported by the legal arguments required for the documentation accompanying draft public policy acts according to national legislation.

ü  Stakeholder Consultation: Engage with relevant stakeholders in Moldova, including government bodies, energy companies, and consumer groups, as necessary, to gather insights and validate conclusions.

The estimated workload for the Assignment no. 1 scope of work for the international consultant shall correspond to maximum of 35 man-days.

Assignment no. 2: The international consultant, with the support of local specialists, where appropriate, will be responsible for:

ü  Literature Review and Analysis. Conduct a comprehensive desktop review of existing publications addressing three key aspects of the Citizen Energy Communities — grid connection, energy supply, and energy sharing—within the European Union. The review shall cover regulatory frameworks, market mechanisms, and relevant case studies.

ü  Legal and Regulatory Assessment:

·         Based on the findings of the literature review, conduct an analysis of the existing Moldovan regulatory framework on Citizen Energy Communities and assess relevant EU enforcement practices and their applicability to Moldova;

·         Engage with relevant stakeholders in Moldova, including government bodies, energy companies, and consumer groups, as necessary, to gather insights and validate conclusions.

ü  Framework Development:

·         Develop the initial draft of the Regulation on Citizen Energy Communities in full compliance with the provisions of Law No. 164/2025 on electricity, ensuring the wording aligns with national legislative drafting requirements. The draft Regulation shall be accompanied by a regulatory impact assessment as part of the substantiation note, as required according to national legislation for the documentation accompanying draft public policy acts;

·         Ensure the drafted Regulation incorporates the findings of the Legal and Regulatory Assessment, addressing identified gaps, integrating recommendations, and reflecting EU best practices.

ü  Stakeholder Consultation. Engage in public consultations with stakeholders and revise the drafts of the respective documents as necessary.

·         Participate actively in public consultation process across various communication and discussion platforms of the drafted documents (Government, Ministry of Energy, NRA etc.);

·         Review the stakeholders’ feedback on the draft Regulation and the accompanying substantiation note, and develop well‑substantiated amendment proposals, ensuring clarity, consistency, and compliance with applicable legal and regulatory requirements.

ü  Final Review and Submission. Conduct a comprehensive final review and coordinate the preparation of the complete document package for submission to NRA.

The estimated workload for the Assignment no. 2 scope of work for the international consultant shall correspond to maximum of 30 man-days.

Expected Deliverables:

The implementation of the respective scope of work will be confirmed by the following deliverables:

Mission management arrangements:

The international consultant will report directly to the Team Leader of the Moldovan Green Transition Technical Assistance Facility project and collaborate closely with the delegated representatives of the NRA. All deliverables must be reviewed and approved by the Team Leader and NRA.

Financial arrangements:

Payment for services shall be made in two (2) installments upon the submission of deliverables associated with each assignment, based on the number of days indicated in accompanying timesheets, as follows:

-  1^st installment upon submission of all deliverables associated with the assignment no. 1;

-  2^nd installment upon submission of all deliverables associated with the assignment no. 2;

Each payment request must be supported by the timesheets reflecting the corresponding workload, subject to formal approval by Expertise France, following validation by the beneficiary.