Gas Tariffs Could Be Revised Every Three Months Under Energy Ministry Proposal

Moldova’s Ministry of Energy has proposed allowing the National Agency for Energy Regulation (ANRE) to revise natural gas tariffs on a quarterly basis, with prices adjusted upward or downward depending on market conditions. Energy Minister Dorin Junghietu announced the proposal amid a rise in European gas prices to €64 per MWh, rupor.md reports. According to the minister, the new mechanism would enable tariffs to reflect fluctuations in international gas prices more quickly. He argued that consumers should benefit not only from faster tariff increases when prices rise, but also from more rapid reductions when market prices fall. A second proposal concerns domestic distribution costs. At present, gas distribution accounts for nearly 4 lei per cubic meter, representing around 30% of the final tariff. The Ministry of Energy proposes streamlining the operations of Moldovagaz’s 12 gas distribution companies by merging them into a single entity. Junghietu attributed the recent increase in gas prices to geopolitical tensions, heightened competition for liquefied natural gas (LNG), and lower storage levels across Europe. The minister also dismissed the prospect of a return to cheaper Russian gas as unrealistic, citing damage to the pipeline route through Ukraine and the high transportation costs associated with deliveries via the TurkStream pipeline.