Moldovagaz starts supplying gas to Transdniestria
CHISINAU. Feb 3 (Interfax) - Moldovagaz started supplying gas to Transdniestria on Saturday, acting Moldovagaz Board Chairman Vadim Ceban told the press.
Gas supply started on Saturday morning under a lending agreement between Moldovagaz and Tiraspoltransgaz, he said. According to the agreement, Moldovagaz will provide 3 million cubic meters of gas its reserves to maintain pressure in the gas pipeline on the eastern bank of the Dniester. Tiraspoltransgaz pledges to return the gas or pay for it by March 1.
"Gas available in the pipeline on the western bank is being supplied to the eastern bank. The gas is supplied to the points of connection to the system operated by Tiraspoltransgaz," Moldovan Prime Minister Dorin Recean said.
Transdniestrian leader Vadim Krasnoselsky said, in turn, that Moldovagaz was supplying technical gas to maintain pressure in the gas pipeline, and it would not be used for heating homes. Instead, it will prepare the system for gas supply from Europe, he said.
Last week, the Moldovan government and the European Union proposed ways to end the energy crisis on the eastern bank of the Dniester. The plan includes the supply of 3 million cubic meters of gas to Transdniestria and a 64-million-euro grant to Moldova.
Recean said on Friday that 20 million euros would be spent on buying "humanitarian" gas for Transdniestria, and 10 million euros would finance the purchase of electricity for the western bank.
Electricity will not be purchased from the Moldovan GRES in Transdniestria, as it is more expensive than electricity from Romania Moldova is buying now. The remaining 34 million euros will support the Moldovan budget, as decided by the Moldovan government together with the European Commission.
Krasnoselsky said last week that the gas situation in Transdniestria was critical, since pipeline pressure was low and there was enough gas for just a few days. It would have taken two or three months to resume pipeline operation if the pressure had fallen and air had gotten into the system.