Romania to increase gas balancing capacity for Moldova - Romanian energy minister
CHISINAU. Dec 13 (Interfax) - Romania will help Moldova overcome a potential energy crisis if Russia's Gazprom stops delivering natural gas, Romanian Energy Minister Sebastian Burduja said.
"Romania's Energy Ministry closely cooperates with the competent authorities of Moldova and at the European level, in order to manage the situation, if Gazprom might cease the deliveries of natural gas [to Moldova]. The Romanian authorities have launched an action plan," moldpres.md quoted Burduja as saying.
He said the plan provided for four principal actions: dialogue between Romanian and Moldovan companies for the procurement of electricity, if needed, on commercial basis; identification of technical solutions for the supply with electric energy through the already existing power lines, including the lines 110 kV which cross the Prut river; prioritization of Moldova's access to the gas stored in Romania, if there will be a crisis beyond the Prut river, as far as it is available, following the provision of the domestic consumption; and enhancement of operational gas balancing capacities.
Moldova has declared a 60-day emergency starting on December 16 to address the complicated energy situation. The decision was made in the small hours of Friday at the request of Moldovan Prime Minister Dorian Recean. The government said the measure was needed in the context of major risks to Moldova's energy security and possible humanitarian consequences on the left bank of the Dniester due to uncertainty regarding Gazprom's natural gas supplies to the Transniestrian region.
An energy crisis in Moldova is being anticipated due to a possible halt in Russian gas supplies to the region due to the suspension of its transit through Ukraine from January 1, 2025, by decision of the Ukrainian authorities. Chisinau has discussed possible supplies via the Trans-Balkan gas pipeline with Gazprom, but no agreements have yet been reached. An end to gas supplies to Transniestria would sharply reduce power generation by the Moldavskaya GRES or MGRES power plant, which would put electricity supply to the right bank of the Dniester at risk.
The Moldovan authorities have said that if MGRES does stop supplying electricity, this would be imported from the European ENTSO-E network and from Romania in particular, which would make it far more expensive.
The gas tariff for end users grew 27.6% in Moldova on December 1. The decision to raise domestic prices was made urgently, following a substantial increase in purchase prices for natural gas on international markets.
The Moldovan government on December 11 approved a provision on exceptional situations in the power industry and the corresponding plan of action.
