Romania’s Transgaz Takes Over Moldova’s NTS Operation
On September 19th, SNTGN Transgaz SA, by its subsidiary of the Republic of Moldova, Vestmoldtransgaz SRL (VMTG), the company which operates, maintains, and dispatches the gas transmission pipeline Ungheni-Chisinau and is certified according to the ownership unbundling model, takes over the operation, maintenance, gas transmission and dispatching activities in the Republic of Moldova from Moldovatransgaz SRL.
On September 4th, Vestmoldtransgaz signed the contract on the lease of the gas transmission networks of this country under which it will take over, starting with the 19th of September, the operation, maintenance, gas transmission and dispatching activities in the Republic of Moldova from the operator Moldovatransgaz SRL – a contract that was approved by the Energy Regulatory Authority of the Republic of Moldova.
The designation of VMTG as sole operator of the gas transmission system of the Republic of Moldova is the consequence of Moldovatransgaz’ failure to meet the unbundling and certification requirements according to the Third EU Energy Package, of Directive 2009/72/EC concerning common rules for the internal market in electricity and of Law 108/27.05.2016.
On this occasion, Transgaz’ Director General Ion Sterian stated: “By taking over the operation, maintenance, gas transmission and dispatching activities from Moldovatransgaz, Vestmoldtransgaz will manage the entire gas infrastructure of the Republic of Moldova. The investments Transgaz made on the territory of Romania, the NTS developments in the North-Eastern part of the country: the Gas Pipeline Onesti-Gheraesti-Letcani, the upgrading of the compressor stations Silistea and Onesti 2, the construction of the compressor stations Onesti 1 and Gheraesti, the Interconnection Iasi-Ungheni are strategic investments amounting to approximately EUR 430 million.
These investments have created the conditions for diversifying the sources and routes of natural gas supply, increasing the degree of security of natural gas supply for this winter and for the coming years, as well as the possibility of extending the NTS of Moldova in order to connect households and industrial consumers that do not yet have access to these resources to the gas distribution networks to be developed later.
Now, after having taken over the NTS operation, Vestmoldtransgaz is planning to re-update the 10-Year NTS Development Plan, which will be published on the company’s website as soon as possible.
Transgaz achieves growing international recognition and boosts the confidence of our investors, who are investors in a Romanian multinational company in the energy sector.
I trust Transgaz’ and Vestmoldtransgaz’ teams and I am confident that the good practices that have turned our company into a leading company in Romania will be rapidly adopted and put in place in the Republic of Moldova, thus contributing to the increase in this country’s energy security.”
More energy security for the Republic of Moldova
The takeover of gas transmission networks by Transgaz will mean more energy security for the Republic of Moldova, Ion Sterian noted. “The pace of connecting household and industrial consumers will accelerate,” he added.
It is the first important step in the process of European integration, the general manager of Transgaz Romania told Radio Chisinau.
“By taking over the operation of the gas networks of the Republic of Moldova, the first step in the European integration process has been taken. The electricity transmission part is the second step. In terms of gas, this subject was closed here, while in terms of power transmission work is being done to increase capacity; in terms of roads, the highway will also be ready soon, from Iasi to Chisinau, as work is being done. The European Commission strongly supports the Government and the Republic of Moldova. I want all negotiating chapters to be opened as soon as possible and the Republic of Moldova to become part of the European Union,” Ion Sterian stated.
In this context, the general manager of Transgaz Romania wanted to assure all citizens of the Republic of Moldova that the takeover of gas transmission networks will mean more energy security for the entire country.
“Nothing bad will happen by taking over the operation of the National Transmission System of the Republic of Moldova, on the contrary, it will accelerate the pace of connection of localities to gas for both household and industrial consumers, it will increase the security of gas supply for next winter and for the years to come.”
Transgaz Romania, also through Vestmoldtransgaz, operates the Iasi – Ungheni – Chisinau gas pipeline, which has become the most strategic energy infrastructure objective of the Republic of Moldova in the context of Russia’s war of aggression against Ukraine.
The takeover of gas transmission operations in the Republic of Moldova is an important step in securing the state’s energy security and eliminating one of the biggest impediments in the implementation of the European gas directive and considerably reducing dependence on a single supplier, according to economic experts in Chisinau.