The state of early alert was declared on the gas market so that the state institutions are vigilant and know how to act in case of a potential damage at the Sudja station in the Russian Federation, Minister of Energy Victor Parlicov stated after the Commission for Emergency Situations instituted a state of early alert on the gas market on August 8 in the context of the military actions in Russia. The minister noted that in case of a breakdown at the Sudja station, the Transnistrian region can be supplied with gas provided by Gazprom in reverse mode through Turkey, IPN reports.
According to Victor Parlicov, the state of early alert in the gas sector was declared due to a potential risk of stopping the gas supply to the Transnistrian region. The crisis situation could arise due to military actions taking place in the area close to the cross-border interconnection point between the Russian Federation and Ukraine (Sudja).
“We instituted this state of early alert so that the institutions are vigilant, so that the officials know that there is a risk and know what each one must do if this risk materializes. This is done so that the people can sleep peacefully. It is an instrument through which the state draws increased attention to a particular risk and intervenes. Sudja is a city in Russia. There is a gas metering station through which the pipeline passes, through which gas comes to Europe. Gas through there goes to the European Union. In our case, the Transnistrian region is the main beneficiary of this gas. There is war there. Even if in two and a half years of war the gas infrastructure has been protected from massive destruction, there are risks. If something happens there, the delivery of the entire volume of gas, 40 million cubic meters per day, could be stopped. This will create a deficit in the European region. In our country, in the Transnistrian region, there is no contract other than with Gazprom,” Victor Parlicov stated in the program “At 360 degrees” on Radio Moldova station.
The minister assured that the authorities have solutions for all the potential crisis situations that can arise. If Gazprom agrees to the proposal, Russian gas can reach the Transnistrian region through Turkey.
“Now, the companies (Moldovagaz and Gazprom, e.n.) exchange information with each other much more intensively. There is Vestmoldtransgaz, the gas operator, which has particular obligations, knows what to do if it sees a crisis situation. Physically, it is possible to bring gas to the Transnistrian region from elsewhere. The degree of cooperation of Gazprom is the most important here. If Gazprom wants, this can be done quickly and this will go unnoticed. Neither those from the Transnistrian region nor we will notice this transition. That is, the gas is brought to the Transnistrian region through Turkey, in reverse mode. If Gazprom stops delivering gas to the Transnistrian region, we will continue having electricity and gas, but prices will change. If Gazprom gives up delivering gas according to the contract, this would mean that the Russian Federation assumes the onset of a crisis in the Transnistrian region,” explained the official.
The authorities assure that, for now, natural gas is delivered through Ukraine to the Transnistrian region in a normal regime. Also, there are sufficient gas volumes for the needs of the right bank of the Nistru, including security supplies and volumes bought by market operators.
