Russia’s gas giant “Gazprom” informed SA “Moldovagaz” that the price of the natural gas supplied to Moldova from April 1 will be US$252.5 per 1,000 cubic meters, down US$58, IPN reports.
According to a communique of the Ministry of Economy, in the second quarter of this year Moldova will pay for the natural gas imported from Russia by 18% less than in January-March.
Under the contract signed by “Gazprom” and “Moldovagaz”, the purchase price of gas is set quarterly, based on a special formula that takes into account the international oil prices during the last nine months of the previous period.
The cheapening of the import price of gas does not yet mean that the charges for end-users, including the population, will decrease. In point of fact, “Moldovagaz” made an approach to the National Agency for Energy Regulation, asking that the average natural gas supply price should be raised by 48%, from 5.6 lei/cubic meter to 8.3 lei. The Agency hasn’t yet taken a decision.
