New formula for calculating price of Russian gas may stabilize final tariffs

The negotiation of a new formula for calculating the purchase price of Russian gas with Gazprom may ensure a greater stability on the energy market, including the stability of the tariffs for end-users, Ion Muntean, an associate expert of the Institute for Development and Social Initiative “Viitorul”, says in the study “The economy’s vulnerability to the rise in gas prices” that was presented in a roundtable meeting, Info-Prim Neo reports. According to the expert, the prices should be calculated not depending on the developments at global level, but on the basis of reference indicators. The study says the prices of energy resources in Moldova are high because the natural gas accounts for a significant part of the energy mix and this share should be decreased. “Regretfully, though three energy strategies have been approved during the last 20 years, our efforts were aimed not at identifying alternative sources of energy, but at intensely and immediately gasifying the country,” said Ion Muntean. He proposed excluding the tax on the transportation of Russian gas to Southeastern Europe from the formula for calculating the purchase price of gas for Moldova. “SRL Moldovatransgaz, which is a daughter company of SA Moldovagaz, owns all the transport gas pipelines, including the transit ones, and is a regulated company. Consequently, the price of the services provided by this company should be also regulated, not negotiated. This is not done even if the law on the natural gas provides this,” said the expert. Alexandru Mija, who represented the National Agency for Energy Regulation at the debates, said the exclusion of the transit tax from the calculation formula is a good idea, but can be put into practice only if it is accepted by Gazprom. Ion Muntean said that building a liquefied petroleum gas terminal in concert with Romania is a possibility for reducing the energy tariffs for end-users, but such an objective can be achieved only after the Ungheni – Iasi interconnection is built. Romania intends to import natural gas from Azerbaijan, which can reach other countries as well, including Moldova. ”The tariffs can be reduced only if there are implemented energy efficiency projects. It is important to adopt a law on the energy efficiency of buildings and a law on heat. The necessity of such laws has been discussed since 2000,” said the expert.