Government to start building Balti-Ungheni gas pipeline

This year, the Government will start to design and build the high pressure branch gas pipeline Balti-Ungheni. According to authorities, the gas pipeline’s building will allow the integral gasification of 4 raions: Sangerei, Falesti, Telenesti and Ungheni. This was decided by the Government this week. Authorities say that this project will ensure the energy security of Moldova, through the connection into a single network of the main gas pipeline systems placed in the central zone of the republic. In the future, through this gas pipeline the interconnection of the national system of gas pipelines with the European Union’s system will become possible, with the possibility to provide Moldova with alternative energy resources, as the NABUCCO gas pipeline. The Government pledged to connect all the settlements in Moldova to the gas supply system by 2009. According to the Ministry of Industry and Infrastructure, 116 settlements were connected in 2006. About MDL 190 mln were taken from the State Budget for the construction of these networks. Construction works for building the high pressure branch Tocuz-Mereni are continuing. To date, about 16.5 km of high pressure and 9 km of medium pressure gas pipelines were built. At the same time, works are operated to connect the settlements Tocuz, Ucrainca and Cainari to the gas pipeline network. About 50 km of high pressure gas pipelines will be built in the next stage. This project will allow connecting several settlements from Causani, Anenii-Noi and Ialoveni raions to natural gas resources.