Poland collects bids for virtual reverse on Yamal-Europe
MOSCOW. Oct 7 (Interfax) - Polish gas transmission operator Gaz-System S.A. has collected five bids for a virtual reverse of gas via the Yamal-Europe gas pipeline, the company reported.
The service envisages the supply of an additional 2.3 billion cubic meters of gas per year from Germany. This makes up around a quarter of the gas imported from Russia - 10 billion cubic meters was delivered in 2010.
The German market is considerably more competitive than the Polish market. Thus, prices for supplies of Russian gas to Germany are considerably lower than in Poland, although transport expenses for gas supplies to Poland are lower.
Supplies are possible from the Lwowek and Wloclawek points on the gas pipeline. Bids were submitted to reverse around 5.5 billion cubic meters per year - exceeding available capacity. The bids are being assessed.
Gaz-System plans to start the reverse supplies on November 1.
Virtual reverse gas on the Czech transit gas pipeline, which was implemented several years ago, has already increased competition and lowered gas prices in the Czech Republic.
Russia and Poland last year renewed their intergovernmental agreement on gas supplies. As the document was being drafted, the EC intervened and asked for the Polish section of the Yamal-Europe pipeline (managed by Gazprom and Polish PGNiG) to be transferred to an independent operator.
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