Moldovagaz, Tiraspoltransgaz sign contract to grant Transdniestria 3 mcm of gas on loan
CHISINAU. Jan 29 (Interfax) - Moldovagaz and Tiraspoltransgaz have signed a contract to deliver 3 million cubic meters (mcm) of natural gas to Transdniestria to maintain pressure in the gas network on the Dniester left bank, acting Moldovagaz CEO Vadim Ceban said.
"Deliveries will be made in line with requests coming from Tiraspoltransgaz. Under the terms of the contract, this amount of natural gas is to be returned before March 1, 2025," Ceban said on his Telegram channel.
On Monday, the Moldovan authorities proposed lending Transdniestria 3 mcm of gas to maintain pressure in the gas pipeline. Leader of the unrecognized Moldovan Republic of Transdniestria Vadim Krasnoselsky said on Friday that the gas left in the gas transportation system will end in a "couple of days", and if it "gets filled with air", restoring gas supplies to households will take several months.
The Moldovan authorities also offered gas deliveries to Transdniestria up to February 10 using a European Union grant of 30 million euros. Gas purchased via this support package can be used to produce electricity and heating for the Transdniestrian region as well as electricity to be supplied to the right bank of the Dniester for free from the Cuciurgan Power Plant in Transdniestria, also known as Moldovan GRES. Gas for Transdniestria will be purchased by the Energocom state-owned company on the European market and will be delivered to the left bank of the Dniester via Moldovagaz.
Moldovan government spokesperson Daniel Voda, for his part, said that supplying Transdniestria with gas would be Tiraspol's responsibility after February 10.
"It is clear, both for us and for them, that 'the gas for free' no longer exists," Voda said.
Moldovan Prime Minister Dorin Recean said on Monday that Hungary's MOL planned to conclude a contract for shipping gas to Transdniestria. "We should discuss terms and conditions of gas deliveries to Transdniestria by the Hungarian company via Moldovagaz," he said.
The EU has offered emergency financial support to Moldova in an amount of 30 million euros to purchase gas for Transdniestria, which has not received gas from Russia since the start of 2025. Gas purchased owing to this support package can be used to produce electricity and heating for the Transdniestrian region as well as electricity to be supplied to the right bank of the Dniester.
Russian gas shipments to Transdniestria discontinued on January 1, 2025, after Ukraine halted the transport of Russian gas via its own gas transport system. This prompted Russia's Gazprom to stop gas supply via Moldova, referring to the country's historical debt for gas.
The Moldovan government does not recognize the $709-million debt to Gazprom, although the management of the energy company Moldovagaz, a Gazprom subsidiary, does recognize the debt's existence.
A gas supply contract between Gazprom and Moldovagaz is valid until October 2026. Gas shipments to Transdniestria via Moldova through the Trans-Balkan gas pipeline are technically possible.
An economic emergency has been in effect in Transdniestria since December 10, 2024 and in the right-bank part of Moldova since December 16, 2024.
Transdniestrian leader Vadim Krasnoselsky visited Moscow on January 10-14, where he discussed the possibility of resuming gas supplies with the Russian Energy Ministry. Upon his return to Tiraspol, he said that he expected Russia to resume gas supplies to Transdniestria soon as "humanitarian aid."