Moldova increased imports of energy and electricity in value terms 2.3 times in 2022- up to $2 billion 686.91 million relative to 2021.
These are the data of the Balance of Payments for 2022, released by the National Bank of Moldova (NBM). Namely, the imports of energy resources and electricity amounted to $582.44 million in monetary terms in the first quarter of 2022, $617.72 million in the second quarter, $721.54 million in the third quarter and $765.21 million in the fourth quarter of 2022, whereas last year they were $215.29 million, $214.1 million and $281.47 million and $441.86 million, respectively. According to the National Bank, amid the emergency situation in Ukraine and as a result of sanctions imposed on Russia, global fuel prices in 2022 were on the rise. The shock from rising energy prices was also felt in Moldova, and the cost of their imports increased in the fourth quarter of 2022, compared to the same period in 2021, 1.7 times - from $441.86 million to $765.21 million. According to the NBM, this evolution was mainly due to an increase in the cost of diesel fuel imports, which grew 2.2 times in the fourth quarter of 2022 - from $123.06 million to $270.9 million due to rising prices, as well as an increase in the physical volume of imports of diesel fuel by 48.8%. The cost of natural gas imports increased over the same period by 5.6% - from $217.79 million to $230.03 million, while the physical volume of its supplies decreased by 37.5%. This evolution was conditioned by the beginning of the process of reorientation of gas imports. For example, in the fourth quarter of 2022, Greece supplied gas to Moldova for the first time for a total of $91.83 million. The increase in electricity imports also had a significant impact on the import of energy products, which in the fourth quarter of 2022 amounted to $105.52 million in monetary terms against $0.18 million for the same period a year earlier. The cost of gasoline imports over the same period increased 2.4 times - from $33.28 million to $80.69 million, due to a 2.2-fold increase in the physical volume of its supplies, as well as rising prices. Fuel oil imports increased 50.7 times - from $1.14 million to $57.83 million. The cost of coal imports in Q4 2022, compared to the same period in 2021, increased by 67.4% - from $5.68 million to $9.51 million, while its price doubled, and the physical volume of imports decreased by 10%. In general, in 2022, compared to the previous year, imports of diesel fuel to Moldova in monetary terms increased 2.5 times - from $421.51 million to $1 billion 057.64 million, natural gas - 2.1 times - from $376.59 million to $798.01 million, gasoline - 2.4 times - from $122.8 million to $297.76 million, electricity - 19.7 times - from $7.74 million to $152.55 million, coal - 2.3 times - from $16.21 million to $37.18 million, fuel oil - 57.8 times - from $1.2 million to $69.33 million. As follows from the information of the NBM, imports of energy resources under the "Other" section in 2022, compared to 2021, increased 32.8% - from $206.67 million to $274.44 million. // 05.04.2023 - InfoMarket.
