CHISINAU, Dec 27 (Reuters) - Moldova said on Friday it

will curb power exports and introduce measures to reduce

consumption by at least a third from Jan. 1, as it prepares for

an end to Russian natural gas supplies.

The country has been preparing for potential power cuts

since Ukraine said it would not extend a gas transit deal with

Russian energy giant Gazprom when it expires on Dec. 31.

Moldovan president Maia Sandu has accused Gazprom of

provoking an energy crisis, saying it was refusing to supply gas

through an alternative route.

The government said it had approved a decision to restrict

electricity exports during peak consumption hours from 0600 to

2300 (0400 to 2100 GMT), with Prime Minister Dorin Recean saying

the temporary measure was needed to resolve the situation.

Russia supplies Moldova with about 2 billion cubic metres of

gas per year through Ukraine. This is piped to the breakaway

region of Transdniestria which uses the gas to generate cheap

power, which it sells to government-controlled Moldova.

Moldova's government said it would also introduce measures

to reduce electricity consumption by at least 30% by limiting

street lighting, switching off escalators in some public and

commercial buildings, and changing work schedules for most

energy-intensive businesses.

Recean said the government aimed to use all generating

capacities with maximum efficiency and would continue focusing

on supporting investments in renewable energy.

"The government will continue to encourage these enterprises:

every megawatt of energy produced in the country at a fair price

helps us," Recean said. "Let us stand in solidarity, let us

overcome this externally imposed situation together."

Transdniestrian leader Vadim Krasnoselsky said he was

appealing to all sides to avert an energy crisis. The enclave is

home to a power plant that provides most of the power for

government-controlled areas of Moldova at a fixed and low price.

Without gas supplies, the plant could stop working and

Moldova and Transdniestria would face hours-long blackouts

similar to those that Ukraine has learned to live with due to

constant Russian bombardments of its energy infrastructure.

Russia's Foreign Ministry has said Moscow would protect its

citizens and peacekeepers in Transdniestria.