Moldova’s Deputy Prime Minister, Economics Minister Andrian Candu said on October 1 that his country plans to sign an agreement on reverse gas supply with Romania this week. Candu added that Romania has promised to deliver to Moldova gas by 20% cheaper than that purchased from Russian gas giant Gazprom. “The government negotiates with two Romanian companies. We hope to sign the agreement next week,” Moldpres quoted Candu as saying.
Five days ago, Romania’s Romgaz and Petrom said they would provide Moldova with gas by 20% cheaper that the Russian one. Romgaz and Petrom have forwarded by an offer on gas supply via the Iasi-Ungheni gas pipeline to the Moldovan state company.
“Two offers by Romanian companies were made to the Energocom Moldovan state enterprise at delivery prices at the border by 20% lower than those practices by Gazprom on this market. The construction and operation of the Iasi-Ungheni gas pipeline created for consumers from the Ungheni area the possibility of an alternative as regards the gas supply,” the reply of the Energy Department read.
About 14,000 cubic metres of gas per hour, namely 3% of Moldova’s consumption, may be delivered via this pipeline. “We estimate that we are going to use this opportunity soon, but it is the Moldovan state company’s decision when this is going to happen. Romania kept its promises and we managed to complete this important energy infrastructure project in the agreed time and with a final cost budget under the initially planned one,” the Energy Department’s representative said.
By 2016, we will expand the Iasi-Ungheni gas pipeline to Chisinau, in order to ensure an alternative of gas supply to Chisinau, Candu added. The EU will additionally provide €10 million in order to carry out the works of expansion of the gas pipeline.