Moldova purchased gas from private Ukrainian companies for the first time: the price turned out to be lower than the European one

Moldova has made its first purchase of natural gas from private Ukrainian producers. The state-owned company Energocom purchased 2 million cubic meters of gas at a price lower than European market prices.

According to the representative of the Moldovan government, Vasile Tofan, the deal was concluded through the Ukrainian Energy Exchange after private Ukrainian companies were temporarily allowed to export up to 15% of their own natural gas production.

Ukrainian gas turned out to be cheaper

According to the results of the purchase, Moldova received gas approximately 10 euros cheaper than the spot market price. At the same time, the report does not specify the unit of measurement to which this difference is applied.

As Tofan explained, the purchase was of a test nature. The Moldovan side sought to check the possibility of purchasing Ukrainian gas on more favorable terms compared to current contracts.

“These are small volumes, about 2 million cubic meters, but we wanted to check whether we could purchase gas from Ukraine cheaper,” he noted.

According to him, the procurement mechanism turned out to be economically beneficial.

Ukraine may become a new gas supplier for Moldova

Currently, Moldova has already secured about 90% of its natural gas needs for the upcoming winter period. At the same time, the country continues to look for alternative sources of supply and more favorable price offers.

The Moldovan authorities are negotiating with Ukraine regarding the possibility of further purchases.

According to the estimates, the potential excess volumes of Ukrainian gas are approximately 500 million cubic meters.

This amount would theoretically be enough to meet the needs of the regulated gas market of Moldova for one year.

In parallel, Chisinau is negotiating with potential suppliers from Azerbaijan, Qatar and Turkmenistan.

What the decision means for Ukrainian gas producers

Previously, private Ukrainian companies were temporarily allowed to export up to 15% of their own natural gas production.

This created an opportunity for Ukrainian producers to enter foreign markets and conclude new export contracts.

Moldova’s first purchase demonstrates the practical use of the new export mechanism. At the same time, the prospects for increasing supplies will depend on further regulatory decisions, available gas volumes, and the needs of the domestic Ukrainian market.