Moldova to increase imports of electricity from Romania on Dec 1
CHISINAU. Nov 28 (Interfax) - The main supplier of electricity to Moldova, state-owned company Energocom, will increase the volume of electricity purchased in Romania on December 1, the company said in a statement.
Moldova is as of today purchasing around 2,000 megawatt-hours from Romania daily on the basis of bilateral agreements, as well as 2,500 MWh on weekend days. These volumes will increase to 2,700 MWh and 3,200 MWh respectively as of December 1. The remaining volumes that are lacking will be purchased on the exchange, Energocom said.
"Moldova's needs currently total around 13,000 MWh per day, of which electricity produced by domestic sources, local thermal power plants and renewable sources, totals approximately 2,500 MWh, around 20% of consumption," it said.
Almost two-thirds of the electricity needed is purchased on the Romanian exchange daily, which is managed by state-owned company OPCOM, Energocom said. Energocom is also holding talks on concluding direct contracts with other energy companies from Bulgaria, Hungary, and Slovakia.
"Certain restrictions exist in Romania related to a state of emergency due to which long-term contracts with prices that differ from prices on the market cannot be concluded, but we're searching for solutions and are constantly holding talks with our Romanian colleagues. Documents were recently filed to receive a license in Bulgaria, which will allow us to register on the local exchange and conclude advantageous contracts," Victor Binzari, Energocom's director, was quoted as saying.
Gazprom cut daily volumes of gas supplies to Moldova 30% to 5.7 million cubic meters on October 1, while the country needs 8.06 mcm. Gazprom said the reduction is due to technical problems related to limited transit through Ukraine. Gazprom has been supplying Moldova with the same amount of gas in November, 5.7 mcm of gas per day, 49% of the volume the country needs. The same volumes have been confirmed for December, 43.5% of Moldova's needs in the winter.
State-owned company Energocom and Moldovan GRES in Transdniestria have been unable to agree on the station's supplies of electricity to the right bank of Moldova amid the gas shortage in November. Moldovan GRES supplied 67% of the electricity needed to the right bank of the Dniester in October.
Moldovagaz has cut supplies of gas 40% from 3.9 mcm per day to 2.3 mcm per day in connection with Moldovan GRES declining to supply electricity to the right bank of the Dniester. At the same time, Moldova is producing only around 20% of the necessary volume of electricity and is forced to purchase the rest in Romania. The average price for electricity from Romania is around $180 per kilowatt-hour, approximately threefold more expensive than supplies from Moldovan GRES. The consumer rate for electricity in Moldova has doubled in the last two months in relation to this, and a new hike is expected this week.