Moldova's Energy Ministry has asked national energy regulator ANRE to extend the authority of JSC Moldovagaz, which is 63% controlled by Russia's Gazprom, as the natural gas supplier to the breakaway Transnistria region until April 30, 2027, Energy Minister Dorin Junghietu said.
"For the first part of the winter, Moldovagaz was initially designated or proposed for designation as the entity responsible for supplying gas to the left bank [of the Dniester River], and we have recently submitted to ANRE a proposal to extend Moldovagaz's obligation to supply gas to the left bank until the end of the heating season, namely until April 30," Junghietu said in parliament during consideration of a government proposal to declare a state of emergency in the energy sector starting September 26, Moldpres reported.
"Under this obligation, Moldovagaz is also responsible for creating the reserves and contracting the volumes amounting to 15% [of annual consumption]-the so-called storage obligation for the left bank. As far as we know, Moldovagaz is working on this matter," Junghietu added.
In the course of the debate, Prime Minister Vasile Tofan said Moldova is holding negotiations on this with Moldovagaz.
"This gas [for Transnistria] is paid for by the region's partners, and now that the winter season is approaching, under Moldova's legislation, we must ensure that Moldovagaz creates the necessary gas reserves, including for the region on the left bank of the Dniester. The law that applies to us also applies to them. We are in discussions with Moldovagaz, and Moldovagaz, in turn, is in discussions with its main shareholder," Tofan said.
In August 2025, ANRE tasked Moldovagaz with ensuring gas supplies to Transnistria after it stripped the company of its license to supply gas to Moldova proper on the right bank of the Dniester. Moldovagaz was also designated as the company responsible for forming and maintaining natural gas reserves for consumers in Transnistria. The company's current status as gas supplier to Transnistria expires at the end of this year.
Hungary's MET Gas and Energy Marketing AG, with the financial participation of intermediary companies, including ones registered in the United Arab Emirates, has been supplying gas to Transnistria since February 2025 through Moldovagaz, and then through Tiraspoltransgaz. The authorities of the unrecognized Transnistria republic said earlier that gas was being supplied to the region with financial support from Russia.
At the beginning of September, ANRE raised the target for gas reserves for the heating season for Transnistria by 150% to 136 million cubic meters from 53.7 mcm. This reserve is supposed to be created by November 1, 2026.
Annual gas consumption in Transnistria totals about 1 billion cubic meters.
