By Emre Gurkan Abay
MOSCOW (AA) - Moldova’s state energy company Energocom on Thursday announced an energy supply agreement with Romania's OMV Petrom, aimed at bolstering Moldova's energy security and ensuring a more reliable supply.
Under the agreement, OMV Petrom will supply Moldova with 30 megawatts of electricity until Jan. 31, Energocom said in a statement.
On Jan. 1, Russian energy giant Gazprom suspended natural gas deliveries to the region after the contract for shipments via Ukraine ended and Moldova failed to pay its debt of about $709 million.
While Moldova's government has transitioned to coal for power generation, the "Transnistria" region – an area within Moldova's borders that has unilaterally declared independence – is facing a natural gas crisis.
*Writing by Handan Kazanci