The 2 mcm purchase was secured below European spot benchmarks on the UEEX
Moldova's state-owned JSC Energocom contracted an initial 2 million cubic metres of natural gas from Ukrainian private producers. The fuel was purchased at a price below the baseline benchmark on the European market. This was reported by Economichna Pravda citing Moldova1, according to the portal PromPolitInform.
The agreement between the Moldovan state company and suppliers was concluded on the Ukrainian Energy Exchange (UEEX). The transaction became feasible following a temporary clearance allowing Ukrainian private extraction companies to export up to 15% of their output.
According to Vasile Tofan, the price discount compared to the spot market stood at approximately 10 euros. He noted that while the volume was relatively small, the deal allowed testing the import mechanism from Ukraine and securing financial savings, with the country already covering 90% of its winter needs.
Moldovan Market Demand and Alternative Routes
Chisinau continues negotiations with Kyiv regarding natural gas purchases to secure competitive commercial terms and alternative supply routes. On October 11, it was noted that fuel from Ukraine could become a viable option once export limits were eased.
Ukraine’s surplus volume is estimated at approximately 500 million cubic metres. This volume would be sufficient to cover demand in Moldova’s regulated market for an entire gas year.
In parallel, Moldovan authorities are engaged in discussions with other potential fuel suppliers, exploring import options from Azerbaijan, Qatar, and Turkmenistan. The decision by the Cabinet of Ministers of Ukraine to permit partial gas exports to the European Union took effect following government approval on October 7.
Photo: Getty Images
Read also: EU and Canada confirm intentions to strengthen sanctions against Russia and support Ukraine
