23 Nov 2022 14:09

Moldovagaz says gas 'held back' in Ukraine due to temporary drop in demand during mild weather

CHISINAU. Nov 23 (Interfax) - Gas meant for Moldova remains in Ukraine temporarily due to a drop in demand at the beginning of November and shortage of gas from Russia, Vadim Ceban, the head of Moldovagaz, said on Telegram.

He said the difference between gas nominations and metered volumes at the start of the month was due to milder weather and a delayed start to the heating season.

"And so a certain amount of gas remained temporarily in the networks of the Ukrainian gas distribution networks operator, given that Moldovagaz did not have the opportunity to store gas that was not needed in the first half of November and that to reject it when Gazprom was limiting supplies to 51% of the contract volume would have meant creating an irreplaceable deficit for the second half of November," Ceban said.

He said Ukraine's operators had always ensured the transmission of sufficient amounts of gas to Moldovagaz. "This is confirmed by monthly commercial documents between both Moldovgaz and Gazprom and between the Ukrainian and Moldovan gas transmission network operators," Ceban said.

Gas remaining in Ukraine is Moldova's reserve, Deputy Prime Minister and Infrastructure and Regional Development Minister Andrei Spinu said.

Gazprom said a day earlier that it was seeing Russian gas intended to supply Moldovan consumers under a contract with Moldovagaz being 'held back" in Ukraine. The Russian gas giant said 52.5 mcm of gas had accumulated in Ukraine.