Ceban Names Possible Routes for Gas Supplies to Moldova from 1 January 2025

Referring to the natural gas supplies after 1 January 2025, the head of Moldovagaz said that “the situation is difficult, but there is a great confidence that we will spend the winter without any worries”. In the interview, Ceban emphasized that this applies primarily to the right bank. “I still hope that it is possible to resume transit through Ukraine even if there is no new contract between Gazprom and Naftogaz. The transit payment scheme may change - contracts will be concluded by European traders and the operator of the Ukrainian GTN with payment for fuel at the Russian border. Ceban also noted that Moldova had already tested alternative routes of gas supplies. “First of all, this is the Trans-Balkan corridor - the most realistic and profitable option after transit through Ukraine. The fulfilment of our contract with Gazprom can also be continued along this route. There are a few things to take into account. Gas goes through TurkStream, which, according to our information, is fully contracted for the entire upcoming winter period. We will have to look for additional opportunities. The second point is the limited transport capacities at the Turkey-Bulgaria border, which may occur during the winter period. Thirdly, there are opportunities for supplies from Europe via Ukraine. However, both gas and logistics are noticeably more expensive, the volume of possible supplies via this route is also limited, and the risks are quite high. What gives us additional confidence is the gas reserves created to supply consumers during peak demand periods. At the moment, Moldovagaz has already purchased 120 million m3, excluding the already contracted volumes under the firm schedule (for November, December and part of January), and they are stored with traders,” Ceban said.