The natural gas transmission networks in the Republic of Moldova will be operated by Vestmoldtransgaz, which is owned by Transgaz Romania and the EBRD. Vestmoldtransgaz signed a contract for the use of the natural gas transmission networks with the owner of the networks Moldovatransgaz, which is the daughter company of Moldovagaz. To take effect, the contract needs to be approved by the National Agency for Energy Regulation (NAER), IPN reports.
Vestmoldtransgaz will use and operate the natural gas transmission networks during a period of five years. It will also take over, by succession, the current technical services agreements signed by SRL “Moldovatransgaz”, ensuring this way the continuity of the operational processes in the natural gas transmission system. SRL “Vestmoldtransgaz” was certified by the NAER as a transmission system operator for gas, which owns the Iasi-Ungheni-Chisinau gas pipeline. The shareholders of Vestmoldtransgaz are Romania’s Transgaz (75%) and the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (25%).
According to Minister of Energy Victor Parlicov, as in the case of synchronization of the electricity market with the continental one, household users will not feel this change in the gas market. “But this separation that the Republic of Moldova put off since 2012 is an enormous leap in the transposition of the European legislation and the liberalization and transparentization of the gas market. This way, nondiscriminatory access to networks will be ensured for all companies and we will increase the credibility of the market before European traders and suppliers in the long run, while competition in the future can generate also better prices,” stated the minister.
