The electricity supply system in the Russian-occupied Moldovan region of Transnistria is at risk of collapse after the halt of Russian gas flow, a high-ranking official of Moldova’s Energy Ministry warned on Jan. 5.
There is about a 30% energy deficit, or 65 megawatts (MW), as residents of Transnistria use electric devices to heat their homes, said Constantin Borosan, a state secretary at the ministry.
Russia's state-controlled energy giant Gazprom halted gas deliveries to Moldova on Jan. 1, citing alleged unpaid debts by Moldovagaz, Moldova's state-owned gas company.
The halt of gas supplies resulted in a heating outage in Transnistria. While the rest of Moldova has switched to European energy supplies, the region, occupied by Russia since the early 1990s, is heavily dependent on Russian gas.
Borosan said rolling blackouts began in the region, mainly during the peak consumption hours of morning and evening, to avoid overloading the energy grid. As Moldova’s and Transnistria’s energy grids are heavily interconnected, power should be saved in the government-controlled part of the country as well, the official added.
Although a deal allowing Russian gas to transit through Ukraine expired on the same day that Russia halted gas supplies to Moldova, Gazprom insists the suspension is due to Moldova's outstanding debt, not transit issues.
Moldovan officials dispute Gazprom's claims regarding outstanding payments, noting an international audit failed to verify the debts.
Some 1,500 high-rise buildings in Transnistria were without heating and hot water on Jan. 4, and nearly 72,000 homes remained without gas, the region’s leader said, urging residents to heat with stoves and fire amid dropping temperatures.
Tim Zadorozhnyy
