According to the calculations done by Moldovagaz, as from November 2021 during 14 months, the provisions of the contract with Gazprom will enable to save about US$405 million based on the purchase price of gas, against the stock exchange prices, Moldovagaz CEO Vadim Ceban told a news conference.
“2021 was difficult in terms of the evolution of prices and of the volatility on stock exchanges. In the period, we witnessed a global rise of about 700% in gas prices. These fluctuations had an upward trend on the main stock exchanges. We had the same evolutions on the neighboring markets – in Romania and Ukraine. Together with the natural gas, the prices of oil products and coal also rose, by over 200% and about 300% respectively. The electricity prices in the region grew by about 250%. All these upward trends affected the purchase prices of natural gas. In March 2021, the prices were the lowest, while in November they are the highest,” explained Vadim Ceban.
He said the gas in October was bought for US$800 per 1,000 cubic meters, while in November-December will be purchased for US$430 according to their forecasts. The National Agency for Energy Regulation will yet review the natural gas rate.
According to Vadim Ceban, the purchase price of natural gas in November 2020 – November 2021 represented 82% of the tariff, up from 62%, but Moldovagaz didn’t review the charges for the transportation, distribution and supply of gas, these being at the lowest level compared with the previous year.
Also, the negative financial deviations of 1.474,3 million lei that should be normally recovered through the rates weren’t included in the gas rate at the request of Moldovagaz, so as to avoid a greater impact on this rate. As a result, the gas rate is by 1.20 lei lower.
“We cannot influence the purchase price of gas. There is a formula according to which the cost of gas is determined. We can influence only the constant costs associated with the distribution and transportation of gas,” explained Vadim Ceban, noting that Moldovagaz maximally decreased the transportation, distribution and supply costs.
