The self-proclaimed authorities on the left bank of the Dniester plan to buy coal from Ukraine to generate electricity for the region. In return, Tiraspol would supply power to Ukraine, struggling with energy shortages caused by Russian shelling. Moldovan President Maia Sandu discussed this proposal with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy.
During her visit to the security zone, President Sandu spoke to journalists about solutions to the energy crisis. She blamed Gazprom for the hardships on the left bank, citing the company’s unilateral breach of a 5-year gas supply contract signed with Moldova in 2021. Sandu stressed the need for negotiations to resolve the crisis, requiring talks with Tiraspol and Moscow for the separatist-controlled region and separate agreements for settlements on the right bank.
“In the short term, we can address the issue by supplying electricity. It could happen within days if we negotiate with enterprises in the Transnistrian region to access the local network. Meanwhile, alternative measures, like providing pellets, firewood, and implementing heating autonomy projects for public institutions, will take longer,” Sandu explained.
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Sandu also identified the TurkStream pipeline as an alternative route for delivering Russian gas to the left bank of the Dniester, offering a potential solution to alleviate the crisis.
Gazprom suspended natural gas deliveries to Moldovagaz starting January 1, 2025. In response to the potential humanitarian crisis in the Transnistrian region caused by Russia’s failure to honor the natural gas delivery contract for consumers on the left bank of the Dniester, the Republic of Moldova has been in a state of emergency since December 16, 2024.