From 2010 until 2012 inclusive, Moldova annually raised the volume of natural gas bought. In money terms, the rise was about 1 billion lei. However, in 2013 Moldova paid for gas by about 300 million lei less, reducing the purchased volume. Experts of Moldovagaz said the volume of bought gas depends on the demand and the purchasing power of end-users, IPN reports.

According to reports compiled by the National Agency for Energy Regulation, in 2010 Moldova bought natural gas to the value of 3.6 billion lei, paying over 3,000 lei for 1,000 m3. In 2011, the bought volume of gas came to 4.6 billion lei, the price being almost 4,000 lei per 1,000 m3. In 2012, the figure was nearly 5.2 billion lei, 1,000 cubic meters of gas costing 4,733 lei, while last year – 4.9 billion lei and the price was 4.773 lei. In the four years covered, between 80% and 93% of the money spent on gas was transferred to Russia’s Gazprom.

Moldovagaz could not provide information about the volume of gas consumed on average by one household. But, under a Government decision, the natural gas supplied to household users costs 5,971 lei/1,000 m3 for a volume of up to 30 cubic meters a month and 6,221 lei/1,000 m3 for a larger volume

Besides the lower demand for gas, the end of 2013 was warmer and the housing sector was connected to the heating system later. The heat suppliers purchase the largest volume of natural gas.

In Romania, the import price of gas is US$460-480 per 1,000 m3. In Ukraine, the price from April 1 will be US$480 per 1,000 m3 as Russia annulled the current discount of 30%.

Moldova is interconnecting its natural gas supply system to the EU’s by building the Iasi-Ungheni gas pipeline that is to be put into operation this month. The pipeline will supply 30% of the volume of gas needed by Moldova.