Moldovagaz to supply gas to Transdniestria until April 1, 2026 - company head
CHISINAU. Aug 18 (Interfax) - Moldova's National Agency for Energy Regulation (ANRE) has designated JSC Moldovagaz, which is more than 60%-controlled by Russia's Gazprom , as the supplier of natural gas to Transdniestria, the company's acting management board chairman Vadim Ceban said.
"The National Agency for Energy Regulation has designated JSC Moldovagaz JSC to supply gas to the Transniestrian region for the period September 1, 2025 to March 31, 2026," Ceban said on Telegram.
In addition, Moldovagaz is required from September 1 to create and maintain a natural gas reserve sufficient to cover at least 15% of Transdniestria's average annual consumption of natural gas, he said. Moldovagaz has until September 30 to create at least half of the volume approved by ANRE, and until October 31 to create the whole reserve.
ANRE said the decision to grant Moldovagaz, which had its license revoked, the authority to supply gas to Transniestria was "temporary and transitional in nature."
"The company [Moldovagaz] will still be able to buy natural gas on the Republic of Moldova's wholesale market, including through the trading platform operated by the Romanian Commodities Exchange, but solely for the Transniestrian region's needs," the regulator said.
ANRE also said it would "continuously monitor Moldovagaz's compliance with the obligations arising from its status as an authorized entity." In the event of non-compliance, ANRE could, following proposals by the Energy Ministry, take measures including financial sanctions and the withdrawal of its status of gas supplier to Transniestria.
The ANRE board at the beginning of August approved a decision to revoke the Moldovagaz license to supply natural gas to right-bank Moldova. The function of supplying gas to Moldova will pass to the state company Energocom starting from September 1 this year.
Moldovagaz revenue will drop more than 90% after the company is stripped of its license to supply natural gas to end consumers in Moldova, Ceban said at the end of July. In the future, the company will continue its operations as a provider of gas distribution services, with gas purchased by Energocom, Ceban said.
Ceban expected Moldovagaz to retain its intermediary role in gas supplies to Transdniestria after August 1.
Gazprom said it would "continue to defend its legal rights and interests with all available means" after ANRE decided to pull the license.
"The revocation of JSC Moldovagaz's license to supply gas cannot be seen as anything other than the final stage in the Moldovan side's destruction of the Moldovagaz Group's business and dispossession of Gazprom of its investment," the Russian company said.
Moldovagaz, founded in 1999, is Moldova's biggest energy company and one of the largest taxpayers. It supplies gas to 830,000 customers. Gazprom owns 50% plus 1 share outright, the Moldovan government owns 35.33%, the Transdniestrian authorities control 13.44%, and the remaining 1.23% is held by other legal entities and individuals. Transdniestria's administration has transferred its share management rights to Gazprom.
Right-bank Moldova has been buying gas on the European market since December 2022, but the gas has been delivered by Moldovagaz. Moldovagaz delivered Russian gas to Transdniestria directly until January 1, 2025.
Gas supplies to Transdniestria were suspended on January 1 due to the halt in Russian gas transit through Ukraine and unresolved financial disputes between Gazprom and Moldovagaz. Gas was not supplied to Transdniestria until February 11.
MET Gas and Energy Marketing AG, which is registered in Switzerland and forms part of the international MET Group holding founded in Hungary, has been supplying gas to Transdniestria since February 11, first via Moldovagaz and then via Tiraspoltransgaz.
Transdniestria's leadership has said the region receives gas with technical and credit support from Russia. The UAE's JNX General Trading LLC pays for Transdniestria's gas purchases. The Moldovan government's ruling to limit gas supply to 3 million cubic meters per day prevents the region's energy-intensive industries from working.
