Moldova made the first purchase of natural gas from alternative sources, while buying 1 million cubic meters of gas from the Polish PGNiG.
Moldovan government announced this, noting that on October 25 a contract was signed for a test purchase of 1 million cubic meters of natural gas between the state-owned company Energocom and the Polish company PGNiG. At the announced tender Energocom received 7 offers. The test purchase is carried out to test the possibility of importing gas from alternative sources and to balance the low pressure in the natural gas supply system. The Moldovan government did not name the price of gas purchased from the Polish PGNiG, telling that it is a commercial secret. The Cabinet of Ministers said at the same time that it is negotiating with Gazprom to sign a long-term agreement on the supply of natural gas. As noted, in the context of decreasing pressure in the national distribution network, purchasing from alternative sources allows maintaining the supply of natural gas to consumers. The tariff paid by citizens for natural gas remains unchanged. As previously reported, the contract for October 2021 envisages that, Gazprom is to supply 54 million cubic meters of natural gas for consumers on the right bank of the Dniester (67%, of the required 80 million cubic meters). According to the Moldovan government, from October 1 to October 21, the gas deficit in the Moldovan gas market amounted to 0.6-1.1 million cubic meters per day (16.47 million cubic meters out of 80-90 million cubic meters required for the adequate functioning of the gas system). Due to the gas shortage and the decrease in pressure in the pipeline to a critical level and below, the parliament, at the initiative of the government, declared state of emergency in Moldova for 30 days, from October 22 - until November 20, in order to provide the authorities with the necessary tools and levers to quickly overcome the gas crisis while taking certain urgent measures and decisions to ensure security in the field of natural gas and electricity supply of the country, in order to purchase gas from alternative sources and to ensure that the pressure in the gas system is returned to an appropriate level. The state-owned company Energocom has announced tenders for the purchase of gas from alternative suppliers. The company is considering proposals for short-term gas purchases totaling up to 5 million cubic meters with delivery to the Moldovan border from Ukraine (through the delivery point in Alekseevka) and / or Romania (through the delivery point in Ungheni). Purchases are carried out at a price linked to the average daily exchange gas quotes (TTF Day Ahead Mid Argus). // 26.10.2021 - InfoMarket
