Ukraine has left Moldova without gas: The transit booking auction has not been held

Due to the lack of agreements on the extension of the transit of Russian gas to Europe, Ukraine did not hold long-term booking auctions of the gas transportation system (GTS) on the border with Russia this year. This is confirmed by the data of the RBP trading platform.

The last such auction with the possibility of guaranteed capacity for the whole of January, according to the schedule of the European Network of Gas Transmission System Operators (ENTSOG), was to be announced on December 9 and organized on December 16.

Recall, the current transit agreement for pumping gas from Russia ends on December 31 of this year. But even without the extension of this contract, the market mechanism of regular auctions for the capacity of the Ukrainian GTS, brought into line with European legislation in 2019, could ensure the continuity of Gazprom's supplies along the Ukrainian route from January 1. However, the auction of January transit capacity with a gas delivery point at the Sudzha gas measuring station (GIS) has not been announced. Similarly, auctions for the first quarter, as well as for the whole of 2025, did not take place earlier.

As EADaily reported earlier, a state of emergency has been imposed in Moldova since December 16 for a period of 60 days due to the situation in the energy sector. Tiraspol offered Chisinau to send a joint appeal to Russia and Ukraine with a request to make decisions on gas transit to Transnistria. It depends on whether there will be electricity in the RM, since the MoldGRES located there now generates about 90% of the needs of the right bank. However, Chisinau refused, stating that it had information that Kiev would not extend the transit agreement with Gazprom under any circumstances. The Moldovan authorities say they have already stocked up on gas for the heating period, at the same time raising tariffs by more than 30%. The issue of providing electricity is still open.

Transnistria, where a state of emergency has also been imposed, expects to be able to receive Russian gas via an alternative route — through the Turkish Stream. Technically, this is possible, but so far there is no confirmation of the agreement.