During the first 2 days of April, Moldovan consumers from the right bank of the Dniester/Nistru River will use in their homes gas from the USA delivered through the Greek port of Alexandroupolis.
The state-run Energocom announced this, noting that this is a test volume of liquefied natural gas (LNG), which Energocom joint-stock company imports from the Greek company DEPA and sells to Moldovagaz. "On Monday and Tuesday, we will purchase 14 thousand MWh each of natural gas from the port of Alexandroupolis, in total - about 28 thousand MWh, equivalent to 2.6 million cubic meters of gas. This is the gas needed for current consumption and the price is competitive. If we agree on a formula for the continuation of this cooperation, we will inform the citizens about it in the near future," said Victor Binzari, Interim Director of Energocom. According to him, this is the first LNG ship to dock at Alexandroupolis (the new LNG terminal built in northern Greece) and thanks to the trusted partnership with DEPA, state-owned Energocom can take advantage of these alternative energy resources. The head of Energocom noted that LNG is a completely different industry from the gas production and transportation that Moldovan citizens are used to. LNG, an alternative to pipeline gas, is liquefied at low temperatures, transported by sea and then regasified. "Diversification of gas sources will further strengthen Moldova’s energy security," Victor Binzari said, stressing that market operators should be ready for any development, as the contract for Russian gas transit through Ukraine expires at the end of 2024 and the neighboring country has said it will not negotiate its extension. Energocom started cooperation with the Greek company DEPA in April 2023. Last year, the Greek company won several state tenders to supply gas to Moldova, both for current consumption and for storage. On November 30 last year, Energocom and DEPA Commercial signed a memorandum of understanding in which they expressed their willingness to intensify cooperation in the field of natural gas supply, including liquefied natural gas. // 01.04.2024 - InfoMarket
