By CHISINAU. Nov 3 (Interfax-Ukraine) – Moldova has recently purchased gas to replenish reserves by reverse supplies, Moldovan Deputy Prime Minister and Infrastructure and Regional Development Minister Andrei Spinu said.
"The myth that Moldova can only import gas from Russia has been destroyed. We have recently imported natural gas using a reverse system, from the West to East, for the first time. On Wednesday, the Energocom state company purchased 5.6 million cubic meters of gas, which was transferred through the point in Budnice, Slovakia, on the border with Ukraine," Spinu said on his Telegram channel on Thursday.
This gas volume will replenish the reserves that "Energocom is creating to provide Moldova with gas for this winter and will support energy independence," he said.
"The current natural gas reserves possessed by Energocom have now reached 157 million cubic meters [it is enough for approximately five weeks in the winter]," Spinu said. He said he is certain that "having solidarity and being frugal, Moldova and its citizens will well live through this winter."
The government of Moldova decided to purchase gas in the West back in October 2021 amid a dispute with Gazprom. Energocom then signed a contract with the Polish company PGNiG for a trial purchase of 1 million cubic meters of gas.
According to information provided by Energocom, Gazprom confirmed the supply to Moldova of 171 million cubic meters of gas in November, whereas the country, including the Transdniestrian region, needs 334 million cubic meters. When a gas shortage arose in November, Energocom and the Moldovan Hydropower Plant failed to reach an agreement on the supply by the plant of electrical power to right-bank Moldova. Energocom is buying electrical power on the Romanian market at a price starting from 90 euro per one megawatt per hour. For this reason, the power tariff for consumers in Moldova has recently been increased by 50%.
