The bill on gas that was drafted by the Ministry of Infrastructure and Regional Development introduces the obligation to possess natural gas reserves by the model of the state wheat reserves. Deputy Prime Minister Andrei Spînu said the new law will increase Moldova’s energy security. According to him, the natural gas that will be bought by the authorities for state reserves will be stored in Romania or Ukraine, IPN reports.
Andrei Spînu said the natural gas rate of 11.08 lei with VAT included needs to be maintained for a period of 14 months so as to ensure predictability.
“The business community, the citizens, the public intuitions need predictability. There is a regulation saying that the tariff is set for a year. As we have an abnormal situation on the gas market and the price exploded in the second half of the year, it is logical to have a rate that would ensure stability during the next 14 months. When the gas price on the international market declines, we will have a lower purchase price and I will be the first who will ask publicly that the NAER should review the gas rates,” Andrei Spînu stated in the talk show “Secrets of the Power” on JurnalTV channel.
He noted that in order to avoid situations similar to that witnessed in October, when the Republic of Moldova risked remaining without natural gas, the authorities will introduce the obligation to have state gas reserves. Gas will be purchased in summer at lower prices and will be stored in Romania or Ukraine.
“The state gas reserves should be similar to the state wheat or fuel oil reserves. That’s why the gas bill that will soon reach Parliament stipulates the obligation to have state reserves for at least two winter months. When this obligation is stipulated by law, the reserves will be mandatory. It goes to about 300 million cubic meters of gas. I leave for Romania and the reservation of areas for storing gas will be one of the subjects I will raise there. Both of the neighboring countries expressed their readiness to provide storage areas,” said Andrei Spînu.
Currently, Moldova buys gas from Gazprom at the price of US$ 430 per 1,000 cubic meters. The end users in Moldova pay a gas rate of 11.08 lei with VAT included. The state partially subsidizes the rate and consumers will pay a rate of 6.8 lei for the first 50 cubic meters of gas and a rate of 7.9 lei for the next 100 cubic meters of gas, with the rest being paid by the state up to a consumed amount of 150 cubic meters of gas.
