Renewing gas flows prevents a new energy crisis in rebel area of Moldova

The head of Moldova's largest energy firm said that gas will be re-routed to the separatist Transdniestria Region. This will prevent a repeat crisis of severe power and heat shortages in the region last January.

Vadim Ceban (Acting Chairman of the Board of Moldova) said on Telegram that "from 17th October, full scale shipments of gas will resume in Moldova's Trandsniestria Region according to the contract volumes necessary to meet the needs of all customers."

This will allow the supply of hot water to resume and prepare for the start of winter heating season.

This month, the pro-Russian region that broke away from Moldova in 1991, before the collapse of Soviet power, restricted its gas consumption after payment problems led to a reduction from 3.1 millions cubic metres per day to 1.2 million.

Roman Rosca, the deputy prime minister of Moldova, warned that the region is on the verge of running out gas on Wednesday and offered assistance to deal with shortages. He said that the separatist government did not request any help.

Transdniestria suffered two weeks of power outages and heat shortages in January last year after Ukraine, its neighbour, refused to renew a contract allowing Russian gas to be transported across its territory.

A company in Dubai, acting for Russia, paid a company based in Dubai to secure supplies. Moldovagaz oversees the shipments once the gas reaches Moldovan borders.

Transdniestria and the post-Soviet Moldovan State have coexisted for over 30 years, but attempts to resolve the separatist conflict have not made much progress. Although tensions sometimes rise, incidents of violence or unrest are rare. Reporting by Alexander Tanas; Writing by Ron Popeski, Editing by Alistair Bell

(source: Reuters)