Page 11 - FSUOGM Week 41 2021

FSUOGM PIPELINES & TRANSPORT FSUOGM

Gazprom delivers only 67% of

the gas Moldova needs

MOLDOVA MOLDOVA’S natural gas transport system and Dodon is paying a visit to Moscow precisely to
the power generation sector came under extreme coordinate policies aimed at putting pressure on
The price of supplies pressure after Gazprom agreed to temporarily the pro-EU regime in Chisinau with the Russian
has also dramatically deliver only two-thirds of the gas needed by the authorities.
increased. country that is negotiating a new multi-annual Irrespective of the causes, the scarce gas sup-
contract. plies in Moldova are having visible effects.
Under the bridge arrangement valid as for Moldova’s main power generation unit, con-
October, Moldova receives from Gazprom trolled by the separatists in Transnistria and
54mn cubic metres of gas, which is only 67% of typically burning natural gas (which it does not
the 80mn cubic metres the country, not includ- pay for), is partly burning coal these days. The
ing separatist Transnistria, needs, announced smaller units, on the Moldova proper territory
Moldova’s incumbent natural gas transport (Termoelectrica and CET Nord) are considering
and distribution company Moldovagaz, con- switching to heating oil but such a move takes
trolled by Gazprom, with the state as a major time.
shareholder. Moldovagaz invited its consumers to take
Supplies falling below consumption resulted measures to cut their consumption, specifically
in lower pressure in the gas transport system, the by switching to alternative resources (such as
company said. heating oil) or deferring industrial operations
Furthermore, the price paid by Moldova in such as refining sugar beet.
October will be $790 per 1,000 cubic metres — Vice-Prime Minister Andrei Spinu con-
six times more than in Q1 this year. firmed to Mold-Street.com that he will meet
Speaking of the price paid by Moldova, for- Russian officials in Sankt Petersburg at the end
mer finance minister Mariana Durlesteanu of this week to tackle the issue.
questioned the authorities’ decision to switch to Prime Minister Natalia Gavrilița in her term
a spot-based price now, after it paid prices well said that the negotiations on prolonging the con-
above the spot prices under the existing mul- tract have been going on for quite a while and
ti-annual contracts during the past year. Moldo- “Gazprom will not want to maintain the same
vagaz supplemented the gas imports in Q2 and price for gas”.
Q3 under the existing contract, hence at a high Under these circumstances, the government
price, she claimed. is mulling actions to mitigate the social impact,
But gas is expensive across the whole of Gavrilita added.
Europe: Romania imports gas from Russia at a Asked by the press to comment on the gas
price of $1,000 per thousand cubic metres. This supply situation, Gavrilita said that there is an
complicates Moldova’s mission of finding alter- anomaly on the international markets, and in the
native sources (despite having a functioning last two days the gas price in European countries
pipeline to Romania, recently launched). This has increased by 60%.
should also invalidate concerns about Russia "We understand that Gazprom will not want
using its gas resources to keep former satellites to maintain the same price for Moldova and
under control again. here the government manages the situation so
Such speculations still exist: MP from the that consumers have access to natural gas and do
ruling Party of Action and Solidarity (PAS) not feel on their own the increase in prices," the
Oazu Nantoi claimed that former president Igor prime minister said. ™

Week 41 13•October•2021 www. NEWSBASE .com P11