Russian Gas Halt Leaves Transnistria Without Heating Amid Winter Freeze

Residents of the breakaway Moldovan region of Transnistria were left without centralized heating and hot water on Wednesday after Russian gas shipments via Ukraine were halted, the local energy company Tirasteploenergo said.

Heating and hot water services were suspended at 7:00 a.m. local time due to the “temporary cessation of gas supplies” to the company’s heat-generating facilities, Tirasteploenergo said in a statement. Exceptions were made for healthcare facilities and residential care institutions.

The shutdown followed Ukraine’s decision not to renew a five-year gas transit agreement with Russia starting on Jan. 1. Ukrainian Energy Minister German Galushchenko called the cutoff a “historic event” and said that “Russia is losing its markets and will suffer financial losses.”

“Restarting the heating system is a complex technical process,” Tirasteploenergo said Wednesday, adding that restoring heating and hot water could take up to 14 days and require access to customers’ homes. “Understanding the importance of uninterrupted service, we are making every effort to resolve the situation as quickly as possible.”

Among a list of recommendations to customers, the company suggested sealing gaps in windows and balcony doors to retain heat, as well as “gathering all family members in a single room while temporarily closing off unused spaces.”

Temperatures in Transnistria’s capital city of Tiraspol are set to plunge to minus 1 degree Celcius on Wednesday night.

Transnistria declared a 30-day economic emergency last month in anticipation of the energy shortage. Moldova also implemented its own state of emergency in the energy sector as fears mounted over the potential humanitarian impact of reduced gas supplies during the winter months.

Residents in Transnistria were also advised to use electric heaters and limit energy use to stay warm. Energy authorities urged caution to prevent fires and electrical system overloads.

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