Russian gas price for Moldova in Q4 2021, according to baseline forecasts, will reach $240 and the average annual purchase price for the whole of 2021 will be about 190-200 per 1,000 cubic meters – Moldovagaz stated.
Chairman of the Board of Moldovagaz, Vadim Ceban, said this on his page in the social network, recalling that today gas in Europe is stably traded at $800 per 1,000 cubic meters with a tendency to increase in winter. The head of Moldovagaz drew attention to the fact that the enterprise was subjected to serious attacks last summer, when prices at European gas hubs dropped to $50-70 per 1,000 cubic meters. “We were accused of almost all mortal sins, and the suspicion of profit from ordinary citizens of Moldova was the mildest of the accusations. It is indicative, but none of the critics of that time today requires us to buy gas at the current European exchange quotations with the same frenzy,” said Vadim Cheban. He stressed that, be that as it may, at the beginning of this year, a clause was included in the contract with Gazprom, according to which in the warm season, which accounts for only 15% of Moldova's total annual gas consumption, gas price will be tied to the current spot quotes. “And no one, I repeat, none of the critics then obstructed this decision. At the same time, in the winter, including the entire heating season, which is 85% of the consumption volume, the price remains with a quarterly link to the basket of oil products, which is traditionally 3-4 times lower," said the head of Moldovagaz. According to him, thus, in Q1 2021, the gas price for Moldova amounted to about $127 per 1,000 cubic meters, while in Q4 2021, according to basic forecasts, it will reach about $240. “Yes, in September the purchase price really exceeded $500, but this month about 30 million cubic meters are consumed, against 180-190 million in December-January. Thus, the September price multiplied by the volume is diluted in the figures of total annual consumption, and its impact on the average annual purchase prices, which will amount to about $190-200 throughout 2021, is negligible," said the Chairman of the Board of Moldovagaz. He noted that one doesn’t need to be a Ph.D. in economics, a shrewd financier or an exchange analyst to be imbued with this simple calculation. “Another question is when the thirst for hype and indiscriminate accusations becomes some people’s main life motivator. I would like to remind you that today gas in Europe is stably traded at $800 per thousand cubic meters with an upward trend in winter. What you think, should we take the gas?” Vadim Ceban asked a rhetorical question. // 21.09.2021 - InfoMarket
