Ukraine ready to increase gas transit for Moldova - Moldovan Deputy PM
CHISINAU. Oct 25 (Interfax) - Ukraine is ready to increase gas transit for Moldova, Moldovan Deputy Prime Minister and Infrastructure and Regional Development Minister Andrei Spinu said on social media on Tuesday.
The Gas Transport System Operator of Ukraine, or GTSOU, has shut off one of two entry points into Ukraine's Gas Transport System. GTSOU has declared a force majeure with respect to acceptance of gas for transit through Sokhranovka, claiming that it cannot control the Novopskov compressor station. The route through Sokhranovka had ensured transit of more than 30 mcm of gas per day. Bookings for gas transit are only being accepted via the Sudzha metering station.
Spinu said the Moldovan Infrastructure and Regional Development Ministry had made a request to GTSOU regarding GTS capacity for the transit of Russian gas to Moldova. GTSOU replied that the capacity of gas transit through the Ukrainian GTS, both on entry to Ukraine and at the exit to Moldova, significantly exceeded the volumes being pumped by Gazprom .
The volume of capacity booked at the Sudzha point of entry to Ukraine was 77.2 million cubic meters per day in September and 72 mcm per day on October. Utilization is only 50-55%, so an increase in transit to Moldova is quite possible thanks to already paid, but unused capacity. In addition, GTSOU had granted the opportunity to book at auctions an additional 15 mcm of gas transit capacity on a monthly basis and 52.6 mcm per day at Sudzha.
Capacity booked in September-October at the exits from Ukraine to Moldova is only 5.7 mcm per day, of which 1.2 mcm at the Alexeyevka exit point and 4.5 mcm per day at Grebeniki. Also, the opportunity to book additional capacity at exit points offered by GTSOU at auctions was not taken: 22.5 mcm per day monthly and 25.5 mcm per day at Grebeniki, and 5.91 mcm and 6.7 mcm, respectively, at Alexeyevka.
"Thus, there are no technical barriers to increasing the volume of gas transportation to Moldova. The capacity of the Ukrainian gas transportation system make it possible to increase current volumes of transit to Moldova by at least ten-fold," the company said in response to Chisinau's request.
Gazprom has reduced the daily volume of gas supply to Moldova by 30% to 5.7 mcm since October 1, while Moldova's daily consumption is normally 8.06 mcm. Gazprom said the decision was due to technical problems prompted by the limited gas transit via Ukraine. A new reduction in the volume is possible In November, while Moldova's needs will amount to approximately 13.5 mcm per day.
The Transniestrian region accounts for two-thirds of the gas supplied to the republic.