Moldova asked Gazprom to reserve additional gas reserves

CHISINAU, 1 Oct – PRIME. The Moldovagaz company sent a request to the Russian Gazprom to reserve additional daily reserves for both banks of the Dniester, Deputy Prime Minister Andrei Spinu said at a briefing in Chisinau on Saturday.

Earlier, Spinu said that in October Gazprom would reduce gas supplies to the republic by 30% for both banks of the Dniester.

“The Moldovagaz company sent a request to Gazprom to reserve for the period October 1-7 additional daily reserves for both banks of the Dniester,” Spinu said.

At the same time, “Moldovagaz” reported on Saturday that the annual capacity for it is reserved in accordance with the contract with “Gazprom”.

“We are talking about 5.7 million m3 per day. The reserved capacity is sufficient to provide the country’s consumers with natural gas before the start of the heating season. Additional capacity to cover the needs of heating installations in the amount of 2.36 million m3 per day for both banks of the Dniester can be provided through daily tenders. The company has sent a request for additional reservation on the RBP platform of the necessary gas capacities,” the information published on the company’s official website says.

Moldovagaz stressed that, in accordance with the contractual terms with Gazprom, natural gas supply in the amount of 250 million m3 (8.06 million m3 per day) is envisaged for October. Of these, 80 million m3 (2.58 million m3 daily) for consumers on the right bank of the Dniester and 170 million m3 (5.48 million m3 daily) for consumers in Transnistria.

Moldova is experiencing an energy crisis due to rising energy prices. The authorities intend to reduce gas consumption in winter by at least 15%, and have also developed and submitted for discussion a plan that includes turning off street lighting, lowering the central heating temperature, transferring schoolchildren and students to distance learning. Starting from August 1, Moldovagaz began disconnecting consumers who did not pay for natural gas supply services on time.

In October last year, the Moldovan authorities agreed with Gazprom to extend the contract for the supply of gas to the republic, subject to an audit of the Moldovagaz debt in 2022. “Gazprom” said that, taking into account the situation in Moldova, it was decided to sign the contract practically on the terms of the Moldovan side, but subject to timely 100% payment of current payments.