The natural gas distribution networks built within the National Gasification Program haven’t been yet fully put into economic circulation. A large part of the infrastructure constructed through the people’s contribution remained without a definite ownership status. Those who financed this infrastructure weren’t recognized as owners and there is thus the risk that the gas pipelines without an owner will be claimed by third parties. Such conclusions were reached by experts of the independent think tank “Expert-Grup”. These made a public call, requesting the central public authorities to put the natural gas networks built within the National Gasification Program into economic circulation and to ensure transparency in the process and protect the interests of people who invested in the distribution networks.
In a news conference at IPN, “Expert-Grup” economist Sergiu Gaibu said the Government in 2001-2002 approved a series of documents concerning the extension of the distribution networks. But these didn’t stipulate the sources from which the necessary investments were to be made. Within the program, a separate chapter on the investment sources was introduced, but the registration mechanism and the status of private investors, especially citizens and the local public authorities, weren’t specified.
The expert noted that despite the shortcomings at the adoption phase, the project trebled the length of the gas distribution networks, but also generated a series of problems that haven’t been yet solved. Among these is the tariff inequity in relation to associations or groups of consumers that claimed ownership of gas pipelines. These have to pay the same price as the other consumers, without being compensated for the made investment. The investment costs (capital repair) of the gas pipelines built by citizens and the local public authorities are not included in the tariff and the necessary funds are not accumulated.
To solve the existing problems, the experts proposed a roadmap that underlines the necessity of inventorying and updating the value of the whole infrastructure build within the National Gasification Program, with the consent of the owners. Another step is to create an investment society that would take over all the given assets, issuing securities to investors, proportional to the updated value of the made investment. The experts suggest reconciling the assessment of the distribution assets of the enterprises affiliated to SA “Moldovagaz” and of the investment society valued by an independent assessor. The natural gas distribution assets should be later transferred to one enterprise with two founders – SA “Moldovagaz” and the investment society.
Expert Dionis Cenusa said there is also another aspect related to the Iasi-Ungheni-Chisinau gas pipeline that is expected to be put into operation in 2019. The distribution problem should be solved until then. “It is one thing to bring the gas up to Chisinau, but this should be later distributed and, when it is not clear who and how manages the distribution networks, we could have another problem related to distribution,” stated the expert.
In the same news conference, executive director of the Congress of Local Authorities of Moldova Viorel Furdui said the gas pipes are important property to which the local public authorities made an enormous contribution. But the legal status of this property is not clear and it is not clear how this should be managed. The concept proposed by “Expert-Grup” is new and the authorities should take this into account.
