Chisinau warns over Russian-funded gas for Dniester area
Moldova is preparing winter gas reserves while warning that the Russian-funded supply model deemed “comfortable” by Tiraspol poses severe risks for the left bank of the Dniester, officials said on Thursday.
Deputy Prime Minister for Reintegration Valeriu Chiveri stated that current natural gas supplies for the eastern districts are procured on European spot exchanges using funds provided by the Russian Federation. Although supplies remain guaranteed through the end of 2026, Chiveri stressed that this interim mechanism does not eliminate underlying structural vulnerabilities.
“It is a comfortable model for those on the left bank of the Dniester. It is not Russian gas, but gas purchased on the exchange with money provided by the Russian Federation,” said Chiveri during a broadcast on Moldova 1. “Legal requirements allow us to establish these reserves to get through the cold season.”
Regulatory mandates and emergency funds
Under Moldovan legislation, Moldovagaz is legally required to build security reserves covering roughly two months of consumption, or 15% of average annual demand on the left bank. Chiveri highlighted that the regulatory extension allowing Moldovagaz to service the region until April 1, 2027, is directly linked to the necessity of establishing these mandatory reserves.
In addition to physical gas volumes, the government retains access to a €60 million (approx. 1.17 billion MDL) European Union contingency reserve for crisis situations. However, Chiveri cautioned that the financial cushion would not offset every scenario should energy markets destabilise.
“We are glad to have this small reserve, though it will not resolve every problem that could occur. We strongly hope to avoid such a scenario, but the energy market remains unpredictable,” said Chiveri.
Expanded storage quotas for winter
Earlier in September, the National Energy Regulatory Agency (ANRE) more than doubled the volume of natural gas Moldovagaz must store for the breakaway region for the 2026–2027 heating season, raising the target from 53.7 million to 135.9 million cubic meters. The entire volume must be in place by November 1, excluding fuel used for commercial electricity generation delivered outside the region.
Overall, designated suppliers across Moldova must stockpile 140.3 million cubic meters of gas by November 1. Lacking domestic storage infrastructure, Moldova maintains its strategic reserves in underground facilities across Romania, Ukraine, and other European Union partner nations.
Deliveries to the eastern districts have operated since February 2025 through an alternative mechanism facilitated by Moscow, involving traders registered in the United Arab Emirates and the Hungarian company MET, with Moldovagaz acting as the designated distribution operator.
Translation by Iurie Tataru
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