Gas transportation networks of Moldova to be operated by Vestmoldtransgaz, held by Transgaz Romania, EBRD

Chisinau, 4 September /MOLDPRES – The gas transportation networks from Moldova will be operated by the Vestmoldtransgaz Company, held by Transgaz Romania and the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD). This will be possible, after Vestmoldtransgaz today signed a contract on lease of the natural gas transportation network with its holder, Moldovatransgaz, daughter company of Moldovagaz. To enter into force, the contract is to be approved by the National Energy Regulatory Agency (ANRE).    
Vestmoldtransgaz will take over on lease and will operate the natural gas transportation network for a five-year period. Also, it will take over, by inheritance, the present contracts on technical servicing, concluded by Moldovatransgaz limited company and thus, the continuity of the operational processes related to the natural gas transportation networks will be ensured.  
The signing of this agreement was possible following the amendment, last year, of the legislation, which allows ANRE starting, ex officio, the procedure of separation of companies in the gas sector and of certain decisions by the Commission for Emergency Situation from June and September this year.
Thus, the final stage in the unbundling process or the separation of the activity of providing from the activity of transportation of natural gas starts. The separation of the companies which produce, carry, distribute and provide gas, in order to avoid the monopoly and ensure the access of all sides interested in infrastructure, is part of the Third Energy Package, which is a commitment of Moldova to the Energy Community.       
Energy Minister Victor Parlicov welcomed the consensus reached on the signing of this contract, without the need for ANRE to impose it through an administrative decision. „Just in the case of the electric energy market’s synchronization with the continental one, the household consumers will not feel this change on the gas market at all. But this separation, which Moldova has postponed since 2012, is a huge leap in the transposition of the European legislation and the liberalization, transparentizing of the gas market. Thus, the non-discriminatory access to networks will be ensured for all companies and in the long-term, we will enhance the reliability of the market for the European traders and providers and in the long run, the competition can generate also better prices,’’ Victor Parlicov said.   
The Vestmoldtransgaz limited company was certified by ANRE as operator of the natural gas transportation network, which holds the Iasi-Ungheni-Chisinau gas pipelines. The shareholders of Vestmoldtransgaz are Transgaz from Romania with 75 per cent and EBRD with 25 per cent.    
Photo: Energy Ministry