Transgaz, the Romanian operator of the national gas transmission network, has taken over the contract for the operation of the entire natural gas transmission network in the Republic of Moldova through the company Vestmoldtransgaz. In mid-July, the National Energy Regulatory Agency of the Republic of Moldova (ANRE-MD) decided to provisionally designate Vestmoldtransgaz as the operator of the national gas transmission system.

Moldova’s natural gas transmission system operates under two companies. One is Vestmoldtransgaz, controlled by Transgaz (75%) and the EBRD (25%), which has been in charge of operating the Iasi-Ungheni-Chisinau pipeline on the Moldovan side. Until now, the main operator was Moldovatransgaz, controlled by the integrated Moldovagaz company, itself controlled by Russian giant Gazprom. Moldovagaz was in charge of transmission, distribution and supply, which violates the European principle of unbundling – you can’t be both a supplier and a transporter or distributor at the same time.

The obligation to unbundle natural gas transmission system operators is a requirement of the European Union’s Energy Package III and Directive 2009/73/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council of 13 July 2009 concerning common rules for the internal market in natural gas, as well as a commitment undertaken with the accession of the Republic of Moldova to the Energy Community Treaty.

“The contract is signed and then, according to the legislation there, starting September 19, we take over the operation, dispatching, marketing and operation of the national transmission system in the Republic of Moldova, in its entirety,” said Ion Sterian quoted by Gândul. “With this move, Transgaz continues its strategic presence in the Republic of Moldova, contributing to the strategic interests of the region”, Ion Sterian added.