Is it possible to redirect Ukrainian gas transit along other routes?
Posted: Mon Feb 17, 2025 6:47 am
According to experts, it is not the EU countries that will find themselves in the most difficult situation after the termination of Ukrainian gas transit, but Moldova and especially Transnistria - these countries have virtually no alternative to gas supplies from Russia through the territory of Ukraine.
"There is only one direct gas pipeline from Romania: Iasi-Ungheni-Chisinau, with a capacity of 1.5 billion cubic meters per year. Even at maximum capacity, which is still far from being reached, it can only cover about 50% of Moldova's normal annual consumption. All other alternatives are associated with transit through Ukraine, including the use of the old Trans-Balkan gas pipeline in reverse mode (until 2020, Gazprom transported gas to Turkey and the Balkan countries through it)," Alexey Belogoryev told TASS.
According to the expert, for Moldova, stopping Ukrainian gas transit even for a week means an unprecedented general energy crisis.
However, on January 1, the Moldovan state company israel mobile database Energocom announced that Romania would provide up to 62% of the republic's electricity needs in January. Moldova will be able to generate another 28% at its own capacity, and plans to cover the remaining 10% with renewable energy sources. At the same time, the country's authorities called on local consumers to use electricity sparingly in order to avoid rolling blackouts.
As for Transnistria, the situation there after the cessation of Russian gas transit turned out to be much more difficult. According to the statement of the Minister of Economic Development of the unrecognized republic, Sergei Obolonik, made on January 8, the gas reserves in Transnistria for the daily needs of residents will last for 24 days. The official noted that the country is in a state of energy and humanitarian crisis.
Photo - © Rustam Zyabirov / Lori Photobank
As noted by Tamara Safonova, Doctor of Economics and General Director of Independent Analytical Agency of the Oil and Gas Sector LLC, by the beginning of 2025 there will be only two routes for Russian pipeline gas supplies to Europe: Blue Stream and Turkish Stream. Both of them pass through Turkey.
Despite the fact that the capacity of the Turkish Stream, which is far from fully loaded, is 31.5 billion cubic meters per year, it decreases as it moves deeper into Europe. The Balkan Stream, which is a continuation of the Turkish Stream in Bulgaria, Serbia, Croatia and Hungary, is capable of pumping only 15.8 billion cubic meters per year. Thus, as the expert noted, it will not be possible to transfer 15 billion cubic meters of gas from the Ukrainian to the Turkish direction.
"There is only one direct gas pipeline from Romania: Iasi-Ungheni-Chisinau, with a capacity of 1.5 billion cubic meters per year. Even at maximum capacity, which is still far from being reached, it can only cover about 50% of Moldova's normal annual consumption. All other alternatives are associated with transit through Ukraine, including the use of the old Trans-Balkan gas pipeline in reverse mode (until 2020, Gazprom transported gas to Turkey and the Balkan countries through it)," Alexey Belogoryev told TASS.
According to the expert, for Moldova, stopping Ukrainian gas transit even for a week means an unprecedented general energy crisis.
However, on January 1, the Moldovan state company israel mobile database Energocom announced that Romania would provide up to 62% of the republic's electricity needs in January. Moldova will be able to generate another 28% at its own capacity, and plans to cover the remaining 10% with renewable energy sources. At the same time, the country's authorities called on local consumers to use electricity sparingly in order to avoid rolling blackouts.
As for Transnistria, the situation there after the cessation of Russian gas transit turned out to be much more difficult. According to the statement of the Minister of Economic Development of the unrecognized republic, Sergei Obolonik, made on January 8, the gas reserves in Transnistria for the daily needs of residents will last for 24 days. The official noted that the country is in a state of energy and humanitarian crisis.
Photo - © Rustam Zyabirov / Lori Photobank
As noted by Tamara Safonova, Doctor of Economics and General Director of Independent Analytical Agency of the Oil and Gas Sector LLC, by the beginning of 2025 there will be only two routes for Russian pipeline gas supplies to Europe: Blue Stream and Turkish Stream. Both of them pass through Turkey.
Despite the fact that the capacity of the Turkish Stream, which is far from fully loaded, is 31.5 billion cubic meters per year, it decreases as it moves deeper into Europe. The Balkan Stream, which is a continuation of the Turkish Stream in Bulgaria, Serbia, Croatia and Hungary, is capable of pumping only 15.8 billion cubic meters per year. Thus, as the expert noted, it will not be possible to transfer 15 billion cubic meters of gas from the Ukrainian to the Turkish direction.