Consumers could pay more for natural gas in the coming period, Energy Minister Dorin Junghietu said on Tuesday, September 22. He said the new tariff and the date it could take effect cannot yet be announced, but warned that a potential increase could put additional pressure on household budgets.
“Our estimates indicate a serious risk of higher prices for consumers in the coming period. This increase could be significant and would put pressure on household budgets,” Junghietu said.
The minister stressed that if a tariff adjustment is requested, it must be reviewed by the National Agency for Energy Regulation (ANRE) based on justified costs.
“I want to be very clear: today we cannot announce a new tariff or a date when it might take effect. Any potential adjustment request must be examined by ANRE based on justified costs, but it would be wrong to wait for the tariff decision before preparing the state’s response,” the minister said.
The statements came as the Government asked Parliament on Tuesday to declare a state of emergency in the energy and hydrological sectors for 60 days, starting September 26. Parliament is expected to consider the request during an extraordinary session scheduled for 2:30 p.m.
According to Serghei Diaconu, director general of the National Crisis Management Center (CNMC), the state of alert previously introduced in the energy and hydrological sectors expires on September 25, while the risks that prompted it have intensified.
This winter, around 59% of Moldova’s electricity needs will have to be covered through imports. During peak hours, demand reaches 440–450 MW, while guaranteed import capacity stands at around 360 MW. The difference can be covered by additional capacity available in the region, but such capacity is not available at all times.
As for natural gas, more than 90% of the amount needed for the cold season has already been contracted. Diaconu said there is currently no gas shortage, but international prices have increased, while replenishing mandatory reserves requires significant financial resources within a short period.