- Romania began transporting gas to Moldova through the Iasi-Ungheni pipeline, with gas starting to flow on Saturday.
- The 43-kilometre pipeline, built with EU aid, has about 1.5 billion cubic meters yearly capacity, sufficient for Moldova's annual needs.
- Moldova faces a dramatic energy crisis due to the Ukraine war; Gazprom cut supplies and Ukrainian electricity imports were disrupted by strikes.
- Chisinau will leave 5.7 million cubic meters of Russian gas daily to Transdniestria in exchange for electricity, amid broader international aid.
Romania has started transporting gas to Moldova as the small impoverished country bordering Ukraine struggles with an energy crisis.
Gas started flowing on Saturday through a pipeline connecting Iasi in eastern Romania to the Moldovan border town of Ungheni, state news agency Agerpres reported citing Romanian gas distributor Transgaz.
Transgaz representatives did not return an AFP request for comment on Monday.
Romania and Moldova unveiled in 2014 the pipeline that allows the former Soviet republic to import gas from Bucharest and reduce its dependence on Russian supplies, but it had not been used to date.
Moldova only connected it in 2019 to reach its capital Chisinau. Compressor stations were commissioned in 2021.
The 43-kilometre (27-mile) pipeline, financed in part with EU aid, has a capacity of some 1.5 billion cubic metres per year, which covers Moldova’s annual needs.
Moldova’s President Maia Sandu has warned that her country faces a “dramatic energy crisis” this winter due to the war in Ukraine.
Russian energy giant Gazprom has slashed its gas supplies to Moldova, while the country can no longer rely on Ukraine for electricity imports after repeated Russian air strikes on Ukrainian power infrastructure.
Ukraine previously provided for 30 percent of Moldovan electricity demand, with the remaining 70 percent coming from a thermal power station in Transnistria, a small breakaway region.
But Russian-backed separatists there have also cut deliveries to the rest of the country.
Moldova’s Deputy Prime Minister Andrei Spinu announced over the weekend that Chisinau would leave the 5.7 million cubic meters of Russian gas it receives daily to Transdniestria.
In exchange, the region must ensure it supplies electricity, Spinu said on Telegram.
EU member Romania has already stepped in to sell electricity and firewood to Moldova at reduced prices, while several international donor conferences have been held with countries pledging to support the nation of 2.6 million people.
Add Comment