Moldova introduces high alert after cutting gas supplies from Russia

The Moldovan government has announced a high alert in the energy sector due to gas shortages, writes Deschide with reference to the Deputy Prime Minister, Minister of Infrastructure and Regional Development of the country Andrei Spyna. The decision was made after the reduction of gas supplies from the Russian Federation.

“This is not a state of emergency. We have declared a state of alert (high alert) in the energy sector, so that the enterprises of the energy sector should seriously approach and prepare for possible more difficult scenarios. It is also necessary so that state institutions can take measures to provide energy resources and protect citizens during the cold period, ”Spinu said.

He specified that such a decision was made at a meeting of the extraordinary commission on energy.

On Tuesday the Financial Times reportedthat gas supplies to Moldova from Russia fell by about a third. Against this background, Moldova asked the European Union for emergency gas supplies through Romania, the newspaper’s sources said.

According to the Deputy Prime Minister, measures are being taken to save gas. In particular, a number of enterprises in the energy complex, including thermal power plants, partially switched to fuel oil or coal. “We are doing everything in our power to soften the shock of the shortage and unprecedented high gas prices for the population during the period of an unprecedented energy crisis,” Spinu stressed.

He also said that “negotiations with Gazprom to sign a new long-term contract are continuing.” The Deputy Prime Minister expressed the hope that “it will be possible to agree on further gas supplies to Moldova at affordable prices”, transfers Interfax.

According to Spinu, on October 14, the next round of negotiations with representatives of Gazprom will take place via videoconference. Among the topics to be discussed are the repayment of Moldova’s debt of $ 450 million, as well as the procedure for introducing the third EU energy package (antimonopoly legislation).

Earlier, the head of the Moldovan government, Natalya Gavrilitsa, said that due to difficult negotiations with Gazprom, the authorities are considering alternative scenarios for gas imports. As the Prime Minister explained, Chisinau expects to buy gas on the same terms, but the Russian partners have “different requirements and expectations”.

The current contract between Moldovagaz and Gazprom expired on September 30, and negotiations on its extension have not yet been completed. So far, the parties have agreed only on supplies for October. Moreover, Moldova will have to buy gas at a price of $ 790 per 1,000 cubic meters, while in September the price was $ 550 per 1,000 cubic meters.

Taking into account Transnistria, Moldova consumes on average 2.8 billion cubic meters of gas per year. The share of consumption of the right-bank part of Moldova is 1.1 billion cubic meters. The debt of Transnistria for natural gas has already exceeded $ 7 billion. Despite the payment for the gas consumed by industrial and household consumers, the regional authorities are accumulating this money in the so-called “gas account”. These funds cover the budget deficit of the self-proclaimed republic, the size of which reaches 45-50%.

Gas prices in Europe, Gazprom’s main export market, began to rise in April, and in autumn, amid the growing energy crisis, they reached record levels. On October 6, the cost of 1,000 cubic meters of gas exceeded $ 1,900.