Currently Georgia doesn’t plan to buy Gazprom’s gas

Currently Georgia doesn’t plan to buy Gazprom’s gas for the commercial sector, the Ministry of Energy of Georgia said.

The commercial sector can choose suppliers itself, is said in the letter signed by the deputy Minister of energy, M. Valishvili. Gas stake in the energy balance of Georgia is about 40%. In 2015 the demand for gas made up 2.4 bln cubic m. In the total consumption the population’s stake is 28%, of heat power stations – 27%, commercial sector-43%.

The Ministry of Energy says that the demand of the commercial sector is covered by SOCAR on the basis of the signed with it contracts and the need of the social sector (population and heat power plants) are covered in the framework of the long-term agreement between Georgia and SOCAR.

The main source of the social gas (1.35 bln cubic m in 2015) is a long-term contract with Shakh-Deniz consortium as well as 200 mln cubic m of gas received for the transit to Armenia, the rest volume is shipped by SOCAR.