Moldovan energy minister says Termoelectrica will operate on natural gas this winter
The Republic of Moldova could see lower natural gas prices in the cold season, Energy Minister Victor Parlicov said recently during a talk show.
According to the official, the country is currently buying natural gas at an average price of $400 per cubic metre. If this price is maintained, he said, there are possibilities to reduce the tariff in the cold season.
The minister underlined that the government is also working to ensure that Termoelectrica, the country's main power plant, will operate on natural gas this winter. Fuel oil was a temporary solution when gas tariffs were high.
"I believe that we can still buy natural gas for $400. And if we buy, to that existing 400 million, another 400 million at that price, we will be able to bring the weighted average price down to the $500 level. Which would give a possibility, perhaps of a tariff review. I don't want to promise this because it's not up to us alone. There are also transport costs, pumping, etc.," Parlicov said.
The minister also pointed out that stocks of natural gas bought at a low price on the international market could favour lower tariffs.
Energocom, the state-owned natural gas company, has announced that it is preparing for the 2023-2024 heating season. The company has purchased 300 million cubic metres of natural gas in June and July for current consumption and storage. These will be stored in Ukraine.
In May, Energocom announced that it still had about 150 million cubic metres of natural gas in stock out of a total of 600 million purchased in 2022, which is about 10 percent of the resources consumed during the cold period of the year.
Since the start of the war in Ukraine, Russia has cut gas supplies to Moldova. In order to ensure the creation and maintenance of security stocks, it was decided that the joint-stock company "Energocom" will conclude the necessary agreements and contracts with storage operators in neighbouring countries, including the EU Member States.
