The main power plant in Moldova's Transdniestria has started using coal after Russian gas supplies halted on Jan. 1, and it should able to supply electricity to the breakaway region's residents in January and February,

With the co-op’s transition to a renewable energy plant, only 14 coal-fired power plants will be left in the state.

STORY: Moldova's breakaway region of Transdniestria has been hit hard by the severing of one of Russia's last gas export routes to Europe. Russia had long provided free gas and had been pumping some 70 billion cubic feet of the fuel to the region per year.

The cut-off of Russian gas supplies to Moldova's breakaway Transdniestria region has forced the closure of all industrial companies except food producers, an official said on Thursday.