Average purchase price for Russian gas for Moldova in Q4 is $820 per thousand cubic meters

CHISINAU. Oct 26 (Interfax) - The average purchase price of gas supplied by Gazprom to Moldova in Q4 2023 will be $820 per thousand cubic meters, according to a letter from the head of Moldovagaz Vadim Cheban to the Ministry of Energy of Moldova, which was published by Alexander Slusar, a member of the administrative board of state-owned Energocom.

"This price corresponds to a tariff of 21 lei per cubic meter of gas, and with tariff deviations it would be over 23 lei," Slusar wrote.

In the letter, Moldovagaz also reports that it has not received data from Gazprom that would allow it to forecast prices in Q1 2024, since these data also affect purchase prices for gas in November and December 2023. Meanwhile, according to Moldovagaz estimates, the purchase price in Q1 of next year will be about $510 per thousand cubic meters of gas.

Chairman of the Board of Moldovagaz JSC Vadim Ceban indirectly confirmed the authenticity of the letter, calling Slusar's publication "a demonstration of unprofessionalism."

"I consider it absolutely unacceptable for third parties to publish official correspondence between Moldovagaz JSC and the Ministry of Energy of Moldova. These actions are not only a demonstration of unprofessionalism, but also a source of serious reputational risks for the institutions responsible for the country's energy security," Cheban wrote on his Telegram channel.

Since December 2022, Moldova has not consumed gas supplied by Gazprom. Gas is supplied to the Pridnestrovskaya State District Power Plant to generate electricity, which is then supplied to Moldova.

Moldova purchases gas for domestic consumption through tenders on international markets.