New, reduced tariffs for natural gas supplied by Moldovagaz took effect on June 8.
The relevant decision of the National Energy Regulatory Agency (ANRE) on approval of regulated prices for natural gas supplied by Moldovagaz, approved on June 7, was published in Monitorul Oficial (the Official Journal of Moldova) and entered into force. According to the document, the regulated prices of natural gas at low-pressure outlets of gas distribution networks (for household consumers) were cut by 38.2%, from 27,103 to 16,730 lei per 1,000 cubic meters (excluding VAT). Including VAT (8%), the price per cubic meter of gas for domestic consumers will decrease from June 8 from 29.3 to 18.06 lei. At the same time, the tariff for natural gas at the outlet of medium-pressure gas distribution networks is reduced by 43.5% - from 25,493 to 14,381 lei per 1,000 cubic meters. The regulated prices for natural gas at the outlets of medium-pressure gas distribution networks have decreased by 43.5% - from 25,493 lei to 14,381 lei per 1,000 cubic meters (excluding VAT), and for high pressure - by 45.7% - from 25,175 lei to 13,666 lei per 1,000 cubic meters. The regulated prices at the entry points of natural gas transmission networks were decreased by 46% - from 24,716 to 13,348 lei, and at the exit points of transmission networks by 45.7% - from 24,914 to 13,514 lei per 1,000 cubic meters (excluding VAT). To remind, last time the gas tariffs for consumers of all categories were adjusted last year: from October 1, 2022, they were increased by 27-31%, depending on the category of consumers, while last August they increased by 23-27%. This decrease of tariffs is due to a decrease of purchase prices of natural gas (from $927 per 1,000 cu. m. to $750 per 1,000 cu. m.) which, pursuant to a decision of the National Emergency Commission, Moldovagaz buys from Energocom for the consumers on the right bank of the Nistru/Dniester River. The reduction of tariffs was also affected by the dynamics of the annual average exchange rate of the national currency against USD, projected for 2023. The annual average exchange rate is estimated at 18.99 MDL per USD compared to the exchange rate of 19.32 MDL per USD included in the current price. It is worth mentioning that Moldovagaz disagrees with the new gas tariff for final consumers and intends to ask ANRE to revise the tariff methodology. // 08.06.2023 – InfoMarket
