The Chairman of the Board of Moldovagaz, Vadim Ceban, warned of a possible increase in the gas tariff for end consumers in the country.
According to him, on June 30 it became known that the price of gas, which Moldovagaz receives from Gazprom, will increase from July 1. “Next month, according to preliminary data, the purchase price for gas will be $980 per 1,000 cubic meters. This is $100 more expensive than in June. The cost is much higher than what is included in the tariff. This gives us the right to demand an increase in the price, which is calculated according to the existing methodology and in accordance with the law,” Vadim Ceban told reporters. It is planned that in connection with the increase in the price, Moldovagaz will apply to the National Agency for Energy Regulation with a request to increase the tariff. At the same time, the head of Moldovagaz did not specify what increase the operator would request. As previously reported, on May 31 this year NAER decided to raise the tariff for the supply of natural gas to household consumers. In particular, the tariff for natural gas at exit points from low-pressure gas distribution networks (for residential consumers) was increased by 22.6% - from 14,060 to 17,244 lei per 1,000 cubic meters (excluding VAT), or from 14.06 to 17.24 lei per 1 cu. m (without VAT). Herewith, taking into account 8% VAT, it increased from 15.18 to 18.62 lei per 1 cubic meter. By the decision of NAER, the tariff for natural gas at exit points from medium-pressure gas distribution networks was increased by 25.6% - from 12,450 to 15,633 lei per 1 thousand cubic meters (without VAT), and high pressure - by 26.2% - from 12,132 to 15,315 lei per 1 thousand cubic meters. Meanwhile, the Moldovagaz company asked to introduce two types of tariffs for winter and summer, and for the current summer season to increase the tariff for gas supply to household consumers by 58.1% - from 14,060 to 22,229 lei per 1 thousand cubic meters (excluding VAT), or from 14.06 to 22.23 lei per 1 cu. m (without VAT), or from 15.18 to 24 lei per 1 cu. m including 8% VAT. It was proposed to increase the tariff for natural gas at exit points from medium-pressure gas distribution networks by 65.6% - from 12,450 to 20,618 lei per 1,000 cubic meters (without VAT), and high pressure - by 67.3% - from 12,132 to 20,294 lei per 1 thousand cubic meters (excluding VAT). Representatives of the NAER Administrative Council stated that there are objective reasons for the growth of gas tariffs due to an increase in its purchase price. At the same time, they noted that according to the current methodology, it is impossible to set separate tariffs for different seasons, and they cannot agree with the hypothesis of reflecting the average annual gas price at $941.01 per 1,000 cubic meters, which, according to Moldovagaz, will reflect the situation for April-September, and the methodology provides for the use of the average annual price for the entire year. In this regard, NAER representatives calculated new tariffs taking into account the new average purchase price of gas at $696 per 1,000 cubic meters instead of the previous $620.1, and also used the new exchange rate of 18.33 lei for $1 instead of 17.73 lei for $1 and instead of the rate proposed by Moldovagaz of 18.81 lei for $1. A new forecast for average annual inflation was also taken into account. The new tariffs came into force on June 1, 2022. Herewith, NAER representatives agreed to establish a working group with Moldovagaz to develop a new methodology for calculating the gas tariff and consider a proposal to introduce two seasonal tariffs that would more reflect changes in the cost gas in summer and winter periods, according to the formula provided for by the contract, and would make it possible to fully cover the cost of gas purchases and, thus, ensure the fulfillment of contractual payment obligations to the supplier. Representatives of the Moldovagaz company noted that the approved new tariffs, taking into account the previously accumulated and future negative tariff deviations, would not allow paying in full for gas with the supplier, and the holding had no other resources to pay for current supplies, they could not be credited in banks. In this regard, they proposed to revise the current methodology for calculating gas tariffs.// 30.06.2022 — InfoMarket
