Construction of Ungheni-Chisinau gas pipeline to start next autumn

Chisinau, 26 March /MOLDPRES/- The works to extend the Iasi-Ungheni gas pipeline to Chisinau will start next autumn, after the completion of a feasibility study, Parliament Speaker Andrian Candu said following an an event organised by the Romanian Royal House on 25 March evening.

"The feasibility study financed by the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) should be completed in July and already starting from autumn, we will speak about technical works to extend the pipeline from Ungheni to Chisinau and connect it to the central system, so that to subsequently increase capacities, pressure and thus make sure that we have an alternative", the speaker said.

The gas supplies from Romania through the Iasi-Ungheni pipeline started on 4 March. In 2014, Moldova will import one million cubic metres of gas providing over 10,300 consumers from Ungheni district and a part of Nisporeni district, central Moldova

At a ceremony on starting gas imports, Deputy Economics Minister Valeriu Triboi said that a feasibility study was currently carried out on extension of the Iasi-Ungheni gas pipeline to Chisinau and that, under estimations, its construction will be finished by late 2017.

Investments amounting to over 60 million euros, of which 10 million euros will be earmarked by the EU, are needed to extend the about 100-km-long gas pipeline to Chisinau. The capacity of gas pipeline will be 1.5 billion cubic metres per year, more than current consumption of Moldova.

(Reporter V. Bercu, editor M. Jantovan)