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FSUOGM POLICY FSUOGM

Moldova considers suing Gazprom for failing

to deliver contracted amounts of gas

MOLDOVA MOLDOVA is currently evaluating the option to or a weekly basis at best, he said.
sue Gazprom for failing to deliver the amounts of Currently, there is only a 20MW bilateral
Moldova wants gas specified in the contract signed last year, the contract with Romanian providers at the price
compensation for lost country’s Deputy Prime Minister Andrei Spinu of €90 per MWh and no steady supply of natural
gas supply. announced in an interview given to Deutsche gas, he added. The rest of the electricity has to be
Welle. purchased from the day-ahead market at higher
Spinu argued that Moldova is forced to buy prices or under the emergency arrangement at
gas and electricity from the market at a high even higher prices.
price because Gazprom failed to deliver the “If Romania told us that it would sell electric-
promised amounts. In November and Decem- ity for €90 per MWh, we would sign the contract
ber, the deliveries from Gazprom were less than immediately. But Romania told us that it has no
50% of the contracted amounts. electricity. Romanian producers helped us until
"Our lawyers are already dealing with these December 11 with approximately 50% of what
details, in order to sue the Russian company for we needed, but from December 11 we were left
the non-execution of the contract," he said. with only 20MW [under bilateral contracts]. I
Moldova eventually had to pass its entire also discussed with the Romanian partners, and
flow of gas to the separatist Transnistria region, the President [Maia Sandu] was also there to dis-
in exchange for electricity, and use its own buffer. cuss. They do not have it! They don't even have
Spinu defended the deal with Transnistria, which gas for us. We are ready to sign a contract put on
received criticism on the grounds that it would the table by Romania at any moment. But we are
create dependency on the pro-Russian separa- not offered such a contract,” Spinu said.
tists in the region. With 3bn cubic metres of gas in its reserves,
He disclosed that the energy situation is Romania could provide gas to Moldova if
worse than generally described, particularly needed, after Moldova’s 300mn cubic metre
because the help provided by Romania in terms buffer is depleted -- but not during the very cold
of electricity and natural gas is very limited. Elec- days when Romania needs to import itself to
tricity supplies have to be settled on a daily basis, cover higher consumption. ™

Week 50 15•December•2022 www. NEWSBASE .com P9