Burc Eruygur
04 December 2022•Update: 05 December 2022
ISTANBUL
Moldova’s natural gas company has said it will purchase 5.7 million cubic meters of natural gas from Russia’s Gazprom for the month of December, amid widespread blackouts in the country as Russian strikes were reported in Ukraine.
“Starting tomorrow, JSC Moldovagaz will purchase natural gas from two sources. 5.7 million cubic meters will be supplied by PJSC Gazprom under the current contract and according to the approved volumes for December,” Moldovagaz CEO Vadim Ceban said on his Telegram account late Saturday.
Ceban added that the natural gas bought by the company will be directed to local energy company Tiraspoltransgaz “for the production of electricity for the needs of consumers on both banks of the Dniester.”
He further said that the company will purchase 3.5 million cubic meters of natural gas from local energy supplier Energocom for consumers on the right bank of the Dniester River.
“The total daily consumption of the Republic of Moldova in December will be, according to preliminary calculations, 9.2 million cubic meters of natural gas,” Ceban concluded.
Earlier, Moldovan Energy Minister Andrei Spinu announced on Telegram a deal between Energocom and Moldavskaya GRES, also known as the Cuciurgan power station, for the month of December. He said they have agreed to look into the option of extending the contract for the period between January and March 2023.
The deals come as Gazprom announced last Monday that it has decided not to reduce the flow of gas through Ukraine to Moldova, after Moldova's gas distribution company completed its payment for the supply of gas in November.
Gazprom also highlighted the “regular violation by the Moldovan side of contractual obligations in terms of payment for Russian gas supplies,” adding that the company “reserves the right to reduce or completely stop gas supplies in case of violation of their payment,” in a statement confirming the decision.
*Ceyhun Alizade contributed to this report
