Natural gas consumption in Moldova in the fir half of this year rose by 2.4% compared with the corresponding period last year, to about 637.5 million m3, Info-Prim Neo reports. According to a communiqué released by the National Agency for Energy Regulation (ANRE) on September 2, imports of gas from Russia’s gas company SA “Gazprom” increased by about 3.1%, to 690.2 million m3. Household users consumed 183.5 million m3 of gas or by 12.3% or 20 million m3 more, while the institutions financed from the state budget – 26.5 million m3 or by 24.1% more. ANRE says the rise is due to the larger number of consumers following the implementation of the national gasification program. The companies working in energy industry over January-June 2008 consumed 284.6 million m3 of gas or by 14.5 million m3 (5.4 %) more compared with the same period last year. The other economic entities consumed about 142.9 million m3 or by 14.8% less. The energy companies consumed 44.6% of the total volume of gas, the other economic entities – 22.4%, household consumers – 28.9%, while the institutions financed from the budget – 4.2%. According to a report submitted by SA “Moldovagaz” to ANRE, the given company in the first half of this year fully paid for gas consumption. All the consumers, including the energy companies, paid for all the consumed gas. The data do not cover the Transnistrian region.