Natural gas consumption in the first half of this year increased by 8.4% compared with the corresponding period last year, to over 600 million cubic meters. This is the first rise in the last four years, which saw gas consumption decreasing. Imports rose by 9.2% to about 700 million cubic meters, Info-Prim Neo has learned from the national energy regulator ANRE. All the categories of consumers used more gas over January-June this year. The population consumed 203.93 million cubic meters of gas, up 10.4% compared with the first half of 2009, while the economic entities and companies working in the energy sector 114.42 million cubic meters and 269.63 million cubic meters – up 5.8% and 8.2% respectively. The budget-funded institutions used 31.71 cubic meters of gas, an increase of 6.5%. The energy companies in the period accounted for 43.5% of the consumed gas, the household consumers – for 32.9%, the economic entities – for 18.5%, while the budget-funded institutions – for 5.1%. In the first half of 2010, SA Moldovagaz purchased natural gas from Russia's gas giant Gazprom for 2,977 lei per 1,000 cubic meters. The last time, ANRE adjusted the gas charges for end-users on May 14.