SA Energocom signed a contract for the supply of electricity with MGRES (Kuchurgan power plant) for December. SA Moldovagaz will supply 5.7 million cubic meters of natural gas a day to the left side of the Nistru, including MGRES, said Deputy Prime Minister Andrei Spînu, Minister of Infrastructure and Regional Development. He noted that the left side will pay for the daily amount of 5.7 million cubic meters of gas supplied by Gazprom, while the right side will not pay anything for this and will pay only the price of electricity, IPN reports.
Andrei Spînu said Moldovagaz didn’t pay the advance for the right side for December, but will do it by December 20. “In accordance with the contract between Moldovagaz and Gazprom, 406 million cubic meters of gas were to be supplied in December. The 5.7 million cubic meters of gas a day (31 days in December) means 176.6 million cubic meters a month. This way, Gazprom will deliver only 43% of the amount stipulated in the contract. This is by far not enough to provide both sides of the Nistru with gas and electricity,” stated the Deputy Premier.
As to the amount of electricity bought from MGRES, for December this will constitute about 204,000 MW, at the price of US$73. “For producing a minimum of 204,000 MW (over 53% of the whole consumption) of electrical energy for the right bank, approximately 67 million cubic meters of gas are needed. In conclusion, if we add the amounts supplied during the first three days of this month and the amount allocated for producing electricity, approximately 77.2 million cubic meters of gas (43%) will be needed for the right bank and 99.4 million cubic mergers (57%) for the left bank,” explained Andrei Spînu.
He also said that the left side in December will receive about 3.2 million cubic meters a day. “This volume is sufficient to provide the citizens from the left bank with gas, heat and electricity. December is a cold month with larger consumption than in November (I remind that in November the allocated amount was 2.3 million cubic meters a day). This volume of gas will be enough to maintain the technological processes at companies on the left side (including the Steel Works). It is evident that these companies will be unable to work as usual,” stated the official.
“The past week, the electricity bought by Energocom from the Romanian Commodities Exchange exceeded the price of €400. If we had further bought electricity for €400 MW, the charges would have been increased against in December and the rate would have been over 8 lei most probably. The bilateral contracts with Romania (at the price of €90) do not cover the needs. In the whole region, including Romania, there is a shortage of electricity. Now that the contract with MGRES was signed, the charge will not be raised and the Commission for Exceptional Situations will decide in favor of reviewing the charge. The NAER is to reduce the rates starting with December. There are real preconditions for the charge to be downed to 4 lei. We will have a 25% decline in the nearest future,” said Andrei Spînu.