Transgaz: Moldova’s Gas Transmission System Is Managed by a Romanian Company

The Romanian national gas transmission operator Transgaz, through its subsidiary beyond the Prut, is in the final stage before taking over full management of operations in the Republic of Moldova. This also includes the Transnistrian region. Transgaz CEO Ion Sterian told Gândul exclusively, radiomoldova.md reports. According to the quoted source, representatives of Vestmoldtransgaz, controlled by Transgaz, and Moldovagaz, whose majority stake belongs to Gazprom, are to sign the relevant contract. “We are at the final stage of negotiations. On Monday, the lease contract between Moldovagaz and Moldovatransgaz, on the one hand, and Moldovagaz and Vestmoldtransgaz, a branch of the Transgaz in Moldova, where we (Transgaz) are the new shareholders with 75% and the EBRD with 25% was submitted to ANRE,” Sterian said. The transfer will become official two weeks after the deal is initialed. “The contract has been signed and then, in accordance with the legislation in force, we will take over the operation, dispatching, marketing and management of the national gas transmission system in Moldova in full from September 19,” Transgaz CEO claimed. The signed contract would not have been possible without the recent amendments adopted by the Moldovan parliament, which were promulgated and have already entered into force. According to these amendments, the transmission of natural gas is carried out by the operator of the gas system on the basis of a license for natural gas transportation, issued by the National Authority for Energy Regulations in accordance with the law. The amendment of the law was necessary in the context of the commitments assumed by the Republic of Moldova towards the European Union, in particular, the obligation of unbundling, independence and certification of transmission system operators to obtain a license. On 7 July this year, ANRE adopted a decision on the temporary appointment of Vestmoldtransgaz as operator of Moldova’s gas transmission system. The decision provides for mechanisms and phased actions to be implemented by both gas system operators to ensure the possible takeover by Vestmoldtransgaz of the gas transmission networks operated by Moldovatransgaz. According to ANRE, the date of physical takeover and documentation of the entire gas system’s operation by Vestmoldtransgaz could be 19 September 2023, unless Moldovatransgaz completes the process of separation from the vertically integrated company and submits an application for certification with the relevant documents. The obligation to separate gas transmission system operators is a requirement of the European Union’s Energy Third Package, as well as a commitment assumed upon Moldova’s accession to the Energy Community Treaty. As previously reported, the gas transmission system operator Vestmoldtransgaz successfully passed the certification procedure under the ownership separation model, which ended on 3 September 2021.