Chisinau power distributor gives preliminary warning to Termocom

The Electric Power Networks Chisinau ICS gave Termocom SA a preliminary warning. In a communique, the heat supplier says that on December 19 it received a preliminary warning from Union Fenosa Group which says that “if the outstanding debt for the consumed electricity is not settled, the Electric Power Networks Chisinau ICS will start disconnecting Termocom SA from the power supply as from 24.12.2007 under point 9.9, letter (c) of the regulations concerning the supply and use of electric power”. The same source quoted by Info-Prim Neo announces that Termocom owes 60.9 million lei to the Electric Power Networks Chisinau ICS, 7.6 million lei of which represent the debt for the electricity consumed this November. Termocom explains the created situation by its payment incapacity and warns that it is close to failing supplying heat in the municipality of Chisinau. At the start of this week, source from Union Fenosa Group told Info-Prim Neo that the power supplier will be forced to stop supplying electric power to Termocom SA if the company does not pay the electrical bills in due time. On December 18, Moldova Gaz SA reduced by 20% the volume of natural gas supplied to Termocom and to the thermoelectric plants (CETs) of Chisinau after warning on December 14 that the volume of gas will be decreased to the level of payments. Termocom SA owes 26.5 million lei to Moldova-Gaz SA for November and 33.5 million lei representing arrears accumulated since the start of the year. Termocom says that it is unable to pay the bills because the Chisinau City Hall refuses to settle the debt of 149 million lei over tariff compensations. The conflict between Termocom SA and the City Hall sparked after the Chisinau Municipal Council cancelled the heating charge of 540 lei and restored the old one of 233 lei for the population on December 4. The heat supplier responded by halting the supply of hot water in the municipality and by cutting off the City Hall from the heating system.