Large-scale gas cut-offs in Transnistria: homes and boiler rooms left without heat
Large-scale gas cut-offs have begun in the unrecognised republic of Transnistria in Moldova on 1 January, affecting boiler rooms, houses and apartment buildings with autonomous heating.
Source: European Pravda, citing a statement by Tiraspoltransgaz-Pridnestrovie (Transnistria), the largest gas supplier in Transnistria
Details: It is noted that on 1 January, Ukraine stopped the transit of Russian gas, which several EU countries and unrecognised Transnistria had continued to receive.
On Wednesday morning, Tiraspoltransgaz-Pridnestrovie warned residents of the region about gas cut-offs until 12:00 in boiler rooms, houses, and apartment buildings with autonomous heating.
At the same time, they specified that gas will remain available in apartment buildings only for cooking.
This will be possible due to the reserves in the gas pipeline system, but only until the pressure in the network drops to a critical level. Local residents were urged to be sure to turn off gas taps and not to try to restore the gas supply on their own.
A Transnistrian TV channel published information from residents confirming the start of large-scale outages.
On 30 December, Tirasteploenergo, a provider of heating and hot water services for residents and facilities in Transnistria, reported that heat and hot water supply to residential buildings in Transnistria had been cut off at 07:00 due to the suspension of gas supplies. An exception was made for hospitals and social institutions.
Background:
- On 16 December, Moldova declared a state of emergency in the energy sector which will last for 60 days. The government took this step due to uncertainty over Russian gas supplies after transit through Ukraine was cut off on 1 January 2025.
- On 28 December, Russia's Gazprom officially announced that it would stop supplying gas to Moldova's Transnistria from 1 January 2025 due to "failure to fulfil payment obligations".
- Moldova receives gas from Russia under a contract valid until the end of October 2026. Since the autumn of 2022, Gazprom has limited gas supplies to 5.7 million cubic metres per day, significantly less than Moldova's winter consumption.
- As a result, since the end of 2022, all the Russian gas has been sent to Transnistria, where it is used to generate electricity at a Moldovan hydroelectric power plant. The rest is used for domestic needs.
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