October 2 (SeeNews) - Moldovan gas utility company Moldovagaz said on Friday that it will pump some 100 million cubic metres of gas to Ukraine for underground storages in the winter.
The company aims to pump 1.5 to 3 million cubic metres of natural gas daily through the Trans-Balkan corridor in October and November, it said in a press release.
Depending on their needs, the gas will be supplied to Moldovagaz consumers between December 2020 and February 2021.
Moldova's total natural gas consumption is about 1 billion cubic metres per year, as over 80% is used during the winter, Moldovagaz added.
The first shipments of natural gas from Moldova have already begun, the general manager of the state-owned Gas Transmission System Operator of Ukraine, Sergiy Makogon, said in a post on social media on Friday. "Such a reserve guarantees the energy security of Moldova and reduces the dependence on the only gas supplier. Ukraine becomes the guarantor of regional energy security," he added.
Russian energy coroporation Gazprom owns 50% of Moldovagaz, the Moldovan government owns 35.33% and the remaining 13.44% is held by the government of Transnistria, a pro-Russian separatist republic within Moldova.
Moldova has no gas deposits of its own and covers all of its gas needs by importing the fuel from Russia.
($=19.8732 Moldavian lei)