A possible reduction of Russian natural gas supply to Ukraine from the start of 2020 could affect gas supplies to Romania, Romanian energy regulator ANRE said.

According to the regulator, it may be necessary to halt the supply of some categories of consumers and make certain thermal power groups use fuel oil to operate.

Meanwhile, the reduction of Russian gas supplies to Ukraine will affect the entire region: Hungary and Bulgaria will have to use security mechanisms to protect their consumers

ANRE

There is also a risk that the gas stocks created by the Romanian gas transport company Transgaz for the winter months will not be enough. Therefore, the government should urgently approve the injection of additional volumes of gas into underground storage facilities, the regulator added.

Russia plans to suspend natural gas exports to Southeast Europe through the Trans-Balkan Corridor

Aleksandr Chepurin, Russian ambassador to Serbia

Ukraine is the main transit route for Russian gas deliveries to Europe. The current gas transit contract between Gazprom and Ukraine’s oil and gas company Naftogaz will expire on December 31, 2019. Bulgaria imports almost all of the gas it needs from Russia via the transit pipeline crossing Ukraine, Moldova, and Romania.