Tag: gas transmission network

"Energy supply [...] should dominate the EU's overall security objectives for the immediate future, given its dependence on Russia," writes George Joffe, reserarch fellow at the Centre for International Studies at the University of Cambridge in an April paper.

A relatively abundant, cheap and clean source of energy, natural gas is becoming an increasingly essential part of Europe's energy mix, winning supporters for a variety of uses ranging from power generation, household heating and transport to fertiliser, plastics, and other manufacturing products.

Günther Oettinger, the EU's new energy commissioner, faces an uphill battle against national interests in opening up electricity and gas markets, warns Georg Zachmann, energy expert at think-tank Bruegel. In an interview with EurActiv, he says member states risk dragging their feet in implementing EU rules.

Italy's Eni SpA is close to reaching a deal with the European Union over international gas transit pipelines, which could involve selling all or some of its assets to avoid a possible antitrust fine, sources said.

Estonian environmental groups have asked the European Commission to take action against EU countries that have granted permission to construct the Nord Stream pipeline, accusing them of failing to comply with EU environmental laws.

EU legislation on gas supply security has yet to set the right market obligations to ensure new infrastructure is built where it is needed, Jacques Laurelut, president of Gas Transmission Europe (GTE), told EurActiv in an interview.

"By 2020, wind energy could be generating between 13.5% and 15% of Bulgaria's electricity needs" and ensure that the country is no longer dependent on gas, writes Christian Kjaer, CEO of the European Wind Energy Association.

Denmark on Tuesday (20 October) became the first country to grant a construction permit for the Nord Stream gas pipeline, a development described by a project official as "a very good sign" that construction will start in 2010.

The likelihood of renewed gas supply disruptions in Europe this winter has serious implications for the image of gas in the long run, Walter Boltz, chair of Austrian energy regulator E-Control, told EurActiv in an interview.

The European Commission yesterday (10 September) gave Bulgaria's new government a six-month 'credit of confidence' and put forward an additional 300 million euros in decommissioning aid for the early closure of four units of the country's Soviet-built Kozloduy nuclear power plant.

Russian gas monopoly Gazprom has acquired a majority stake in the Turkish Bosphorus Gas Corporation, hoping to boost its investment and become a powerful player in the future strategic Eurasian gas hub to be established in Turkey, the Russian press announced on 19 August.

The European Investment Bank is ready to help finance the 7.9 billion euro Nabucco pipeline and to look closely at the concept of creating a single gas purchaser to ensure the project is viable, the bank said on 23 July.

Four EU countries and Turkey signed an agreement yesterday (13 July) on the legal framework for the Nabucco gas pipeline, which is expected to decrease Europe's dependence on Russian gas. Iraq has pledged to supply the pipeline with half of its capacity, without giving a detailed timeframe.

Russia said on 3 June that it may cut gas supplies to Ukraine if the country does not pay for gas to be pumped into underground storage, once more threatening transit supplies to Europe. Analysts said they interpreted this new crisis as pressure to speed up work on the Nord Stream pipeline project.

Current stocks in the Ukraine will be too low to ensure normal flows of Russian gas to Europe this coming winter, Moscow warned yesterday (26 May), saying disruptions could occur if Kiev does not find the money to replenish reserves.

A Russian oil and gas company considered close to Prime Minister Vladimir Putin has won participation in Hungary's MOL petrochemical group, with the aim of taking over this key member of the Nabucco gas pipeline consortium, experts told EurActiv.

The European Union moved to curb its heavy dependence on Russian gas on 8 May by signing an agreement to smoothe the way for more gas imports from the Caspian region.

The Kremlin yesterday (21 April) published Russia's proposal for new rules on international energy cooperation, following a dispute with Ukraine over transit in January which left millions of Europeans without heating in the heart of winter.

Europe's hopes of securing natural gas from Azerbaijan via the Nabucco pipeline were further dampened on Saturday (18 April) when Azerbaijan's President Ilham Aliev said he wanted Russia to serve as a transit route for selling gas to Europe.

Significant progress has been achieved with Turkey on moving forward the Nabucco gas pipeline project, Reinhard Mitschek, managing director of Nabucco Gas Pipeline International, told the Dnevnik daily, EurActiv's partner in Bulgaria.

"A larger, well-interconnected market receiving supplies from a variety of exporters is expected to be the best insurance" against gas delivery disruptions, writes Arno Behrens, a research fellow at the Centre for European Policy Studies (CEPS), in a March paper.

Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin threatened yesterday (23 March) to review his country's ties with the EU after a European Commission plan to modernise Ukraine's gas pipeline system failed to include Moscow.

Mention of the Nabucco gas pipeline has been deleted from a list of projects to be financed by a five-billion euro EU stimulus plan, it emerged after a meeting of the bloc's foreign ministers yesterday (16 March).

Russia won Hungarian support yesterday (10 March) for its South Stream pipeline to deliver gas to Europe, while Prime Minister Vladimir Putin said a rival project to supply gas from the Caspian region would need Iran's support.