Moldova minister to meet Russia's Gazprom to ensure power supplies
By Alexander Tanas
CHISINAU, Nov 22 (Reuters) -Moldova's energy minister said on Friday he would meet in St. Petersburg next week with Russian gas company Gazprom to ensure stable electricity supplies after Russian strikes on the energy system in neighbouring Ukraine.
Victor Parlicov said systematic strikes on Ukraine's power grid ran the risk of cutting off his country from what had become a reliable supply of electricity.
WHY IT'S IMPORTANT
Ex-Soviet republic Moldova, one of Europe's poorest countries, has been deeply affected by the war in Ukraine, with fragments of Russian drones repeatedly falling on its territory.
Moldova receives most of its electricity from a thermal power station located in its separatist Transdniestria region, which needs gas supplies to operate.
KEY QUOTES
Parlicov on Jurnal TV:
"The missile strikes in Ukraine are practically decoupling the country from a joint Ukraine-Moldova grid. Lines and transformer stations are being taken out of service."
"I understand that this visit to St. Petersburg is sensitive, a visit to the Russian Federation, an aggressor country in the case of Ukraine. But these are the options: either you go and discuss or you don't go and don't discuss."
CONTEXT
Russian attacks have systematically targeted Ukraine's power grid for months and Moscow unleashed its largest airstrike in almost three months on Sunday, prompting power cuts.
Moldova's pro-European President Maia Sandu has denounced Russia's invasion of Ukraine and in recent years, the country has turned to European suppliers for gas.
But Russian gas, pumped through Ukraine, supplies the thermal plant in Transdniestria, which produces most of the power used in the rest of Moldova.
If Ukraine goes through with its plan to end Russian transit, gas for that plant would have to pass through Turkey, Bulgaria and Romania.
Gazprom could also supply gas for parts of Moldova under central government control.
Reporting by Ronald Popeski; Editing by Rod Nickel
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