Moldova secures gas for winter 2025-26; Transnistria to get EU aid
The Transnistrian region continues to receive limited volumes of natural gas, although it is enough to maintain electricity production, Energy Minister Dorin Junghietu told TVR Moldova.
According to him, the Dubăsari Hydropower Plant has increased its generation capacity, and the Chișinău authorities are monitoring the situation.
“I was looking at the reports from previous days. Over a span of three to five days, the left bank was still receiving approximately 1.2 to 1.5 million cubic metres of gas, which allowed it to generate 89 to 95 megawatt hours of electricity. If we look at the transmission network monitoring system from Moldelectrica, we see that electricity generation, including at the Dubăsari Hydropower Plant, has increased. So, they have electricity. They’ve ramped up production at Dubăsari, and their production is limited by the available volume of gas,” explained Energy Minister Dorin Junghietu on TVR Moldova.
The Minister recalled that since August 19, Moldovagaz has been designated as the entity responsible for supplying gas to areas where unlicensed operators, such as Tiraspoltransgaz, operate. Furthermore, the company is obliged to create strategic reserves for the region, under the supervision of the National Energy Regulatory Agency (ANRE).
Simultaneously, Dorin Junghietu asserts that Gazprom has the alternative of transporting gas to the Republic of Moldova via TurkStream and the Trans-Balkan Pipeline.
“Everything is technically feasible. The question is whether Russia will want to continue funding free or discounted gas for the Transnistrian region,” the Energy Minister explained.
EU offers conditional energy aid to Tiraspol
Authorities announced that approximately €60 million from the European Union could be accessed by the Transnistrian region to cover its energy needs, but only under strict conditions of transparency and cooperation.
“My colleagues in the Government announced yesterday, following the Cabinet meeting, that, according to press releases, the mechanism could be accessed by Tiraspol’s administration, provided all established criteria are met. That's correct. We shouldn't forget that the European Union also provided financial support of approximately €20–30 million in February, funds that were used for gas purchases on the left bank of the Nistru River,” Junghietu declared.
Republic of Moldova has sufficient gas reserves for winter
The Republic of Moldova is entering the 2025–2026 cold season prepared, with sufficient gas stocks and a clear energy strategy for both the right bank of the Nistru River and the Transnistrian region. According to the Ministry of Energy, gas purchases are over 75% complete, and the country is secured for the entire gas year that began on October 1st.
Stable prices, planned purchases
The average gas price for the 2025–2026 cold season is estimated at about €38.5 per megawatt-hour (or €410 per thousand cubic metres), a level considered reasonable given the regional market volatility, according to Dorin Junghietu. The purchases were made through competitive tenders, tracking the reference prices on international exchanges.
Complicated regional context
The war in Ukraine continues to affect the European energy market. Ukraine’s gas infrastructure has frequently been the target of Russian attacks, which has reduced local production and increased regional market demand, the Minister added. The European Union has extended the deadline for creating safety stocks until the end of November, and Romania has already reported a storage fill level of over 95%.
Authorities maintain that Moldovagaz remains responsible for supplying gas to the Transnistrian region. Contacted by Moldova 1, Vadim Ceban said that the contract for the purchase of gas stocks has already been signed with a company on the European Union market. According to him, gas deliveries are currently secured at least until October 16th.
Following the cessation of gas deliveries by Gazprom to the Transnistrian region in December 2024, the Republic of Moldova provided the region with approximately 2.6 million cubic metres of gas, procured from international markets. Chișinău proposed that Tiraspol purchase gas at market prices, and the region subsequently adopted a minimal consumption regime to maintain essential infrastructure.
Translation by Iurie Tataru
