Headline: Gazprom Halts Gas Supplies to Moldova Amid Dispute Over Debt and Ukraine’s Transit Decision
Subhead: Controversy escalates as Moldovan energy crisis looms
Russian energy giant Gazprom announced that it will suspend gas supplies to Moldova from January 1, citing Kishinev’s refusal to resolve a debt issue related to gas deliveries. Moldovan state-owned gas company, Moldovagaz, has been informed of the decision.
Gazprom argues that Moldova has not fulfilled its payment obligations under the current contract, compelling the Russian company to halt gas deliveries. However, Moldova denies owing Gazprom $790 million (€757.1 million).
Meanwhile, Ukraine has decided not to extend its contract for Russian gas transit to European countries, further complicating the regional energy landscape.
Moldova has declared an emergency situation in its energy sector since December 16, due to the potential cessation of gas supplies to the pro-Russian separatist region of Transnistria. Maskva supplies gas to the Kuzychurgan power plant, the largest electricity producer in Moldova, located in the Transnistria region. This plant was privatized by Transnistrian officials in 2004 and later sold to a Russian state-owned company. Moldova does not recognize this privatization.
Moldova, reliant until recently on Russian gas, has been diversifying its energy sources since the 2022 Russian invasion of Ukraine. The current dispute, however, threatens to disrupt these efforts, putting the moldovan population at risk of an energy crisis during the winter months.
This is a developing story. Stay tuned for updates.
