Chisinau Council allocates 48.2 mln lei for resumption of hot water supply

The Chisinau City Council (CMC) on Thursday approved the disbursal of 48.2 million lei to the heat distributor Termocom to resume hot water supply. Although the city councillors conditioned the disbursal of this money on the resumption of supplies, Termocom’s manager Dionisie Antocel could not guarantee that it would happen, as the final say belongs to the heat generators and the creditors of the company - Moldova-Gaz and Union Fenosa. Moreover, the distributors could regard this money not as a payment for resuming hot water supply, but as part of 149 million lei debt owed by the municipality for compensating the difference in heating charges. According to Antocel, “Moldova-Gaz” has already cut down gas supplies by 20%, while “Union Fenosa” warned that it would cut off Termocom’s facilities from power supply if all the debts are not cleared by December 24. Councillor Oleg Cernei of Moldova Noastra Alliance Party thinks that Termocom will not resume the supply of hot water, while the City Hall will be unable to hold it accountable because the heat distributor doesn’t have distinct contractual obligations for hot water and heat; it distributes thermal energy. CMC Chair Mihai Ghimpu stated that the allocation of this money means a step forward taken by the city authorities in the direction of breaking this deadlock in Chisinau. If the supplies of hot water are not resumed, Ghimpu added, Termocom will have to bear the responsibility and answer before the population for its decision. The local authorities calculated that the allocated 48.2 million lei represent the city’s debt only for hot water of the total debt of 149 million lei claimed by Termocom.