Moldovan energy regulatory agency decreases tariffs for gas delivered to consumers

Chisinau, 26 January /MOLDPRES/ - The Administrative Board of the National Energy Regulatory Agency (ANRE) approved a decision decreasing the average tariffs for gas at a today's meeting. Thus, the end tariffs for gas on categories of consumers and the tariff for the gas transportation service have been diminished.

According to ANRE's press service, the average final tariff for gas, supplied by the stock company Moldovagaz, was decreased by 10.9 per cent from 6,222 lei per 1,000 cubic metres of gas, - a rate set in November 2013, to 5,545 lei per 1,000 cubic metres (less by 677 lei).

Given the size of the new average end tariff for gas, ANRE calculated and approved the following end tariffs for gas on categories of end consumers (without VAT):  5,892 ler per 1,000 cubic metres for household consumers with a monthly consumption of less than 30 cubic metres (including) at a flat (house) (decreasing by 10.1 per cent); 6,138 lei per 1,000 cubic metres for household consumers with a monthly consumption of more than 30 cubic metres at a flat (house) (less by 10.1 per cent).

At the same time, the tariff for the gas distribution service was set in a quantum of 1,030.99 lei per 1,000 cubic metres, and the tariff for the gas supply service decreased to 70.74 lei per 1,000 cubic metres (dropping by 7.2 per cent). The tariff for the gas transportation service was cut by 89.9 per cent: from 324.75 lei per 1,000 cubic metres to 32.76 lei for 1,000 cubic metres.

The diminution of the gas tariffs was triggered by two principal factors: cut in the price for acquisition of gas imported from Russia and amendment of the law on gas and the methodology of calculating and applying the regulated tariffs for gas. Thus, ANRE got the right to fully regulate the work of the transport network by establishing a single tariff for the transport service, no matter the destination of the gas transportation.

Thus, the revenues got from the gas transit across Moldova have been included in the formula of calculating the gas tariffs. This compensates the expenses born to carry gas on the territory of Moldova and has a diminutive impact on the gas tariffs for end consumers.

When setting the new gas tariffs, ANRE took into account also the estimative gas acquisition price for 2016 of 199.72 dollars for 1,000 cubic metres (down by 60.57 dollars/1,000 cubic metres).

The new gas rates will enter into force starting from 1 February 2016.

(Reporter A. Mardare, editor M. Jantovan)