OREANDA-NEWS. September 19, 2011. Moldovagaz is asking the National Power Regulating Agency to raise the average fee for gas supplied to final users by 28.76% and not by 21.2% as said earlier. The company is asking to increase the current average gas free – 4,599 leis for 1,000 cubic meters – to 5,922 leis, while earlier it asked to raise it by 21.2% - to 5,572 leis (without the VAT), the National Power Regulating Agency reported.

The Agency said it would organize new public hearings regarding the Moldovagaz’s solicitation on September 19 at 10 a.m. They will be held with representatives of state institutions, patronages, trade unions, consumers’ rights protection associations and other non-governmental organizations participating. Moldovagaz is motivating the necessity of increasing the fees by two objective factors: growth of the gas purchasing price and fluctuations of the MDL exchange rate against the US dollar.

The natural gas purchasing price in the III quarter of 2001 rose to USD 367.09 for 1,000 cubic meters, and, according to Moldovagaz’s estimations, will total USD 400.47 in the IV quarter, 31.5% higher than the price of USD 304.57 built into the current fee. Calculation of the average natural gas fee for final consumers is based on the MDL exchange rate of 11.88 leis for a USD, including 12 leis for a USD in the IV quarter.

The current average fee for natural gas sold to final consumers was fixed by the National Power Regulating Agency on the level of 4599 leis for 1,000 cubic meters on January 26, 2011 and includes the average natural gas purchasing price of USD 304.57 for 1,000 cubic meters and the exchange rate of 12.3 leis for a USD.