Moldova expecting first LNG shipment from U.S. next week
CHISINAU. Jan 18 (Interfax) - Moldova will buy U.S. LNG for the first time next week, Moldovan Energy Minister Victor Parlicov said on a Moldovan television channel.
"Next week we will buy gas directly from a ship transporting LNG from the United States. I cannot say for now what the end price will be. [...] It will be around 30 euros per 1 MW/h," Parlicov said.
The ship has arrived at the Greek port of Alexandroupolis, and Moldova will be one of the first buyers once the gas is unloaded, he said.
Chisinau and Athens signed a memorandum on mutual understanding in December 2023 to cooperate in the supply of gas. The document envisages intensive contacts in the supply of natural gas, including LNG, and coordinated use of gas storage facilities and transport infrastructure.
For now, Moldova is using gas purchased by the Energocom state company at international tenders. Parlicov did not rule out that gas delivered by Gazprom might be used for domestic needs following the end of the heating season.
As reported, the five-year gas contract between Moldovagaz and Gazprom took effect on November 1, 2012. The daily gas supply was cut by 30% to 5.7 million cubic meters on October 1, 2022. Gazprom explained the cuts in terms of technical problems resulting from limited gas transit through Ukraine. In the remaining months of 2022 and in 2023, Gazprom supplied Moldova with the same daily amount of gas, 5.7 million cubic meters per day, which is less than 40% of the amount required in the cold season.
Moldova used Gazprom's gas until December 3, 2022, and fully rerouted the supplies to Transdniestria on December 4 in exchange for meeting over 80% of Moldovan electricity requirements. The agreement with the Moldovan GRES power plant in Transdniestria is valid through 2024.
Moldova buys gas on the spot market and has reserves in gas storage facilities in Romania and Ukraine. The gas reserves exceeded 700 million cubic meters before the heating season. They decreased to less than 400 million cubic meters in early January 2024.