What goes on in Poland on the 17th of July.
Synchronization of the Baltic states with Europe. A key test will be held in 2019
– In the next year, a test will be carried out to disconnect the Baltic countries from the energy system of Russia and Belarus – said the representative of Augstsprieguma tikls. At the time of the test disconnection, the electricity demand in the Baltic countries should be secured by local production and connection to the power grids of Sweden, Finland and Poland.
The chairman of the board of Augstsprieguma tikls (state-owned transmission system operator in Latvia), Varis Boxes, said that the value of electricity trade with Russia and Belarus is decreasing year by year, as the Baltic states should be connected with the zone in which they acquire the most power, ie with Scandinavia and Poland.
After the Baltic transmission system operators, Litgrid, Augstsprieguma tikls and Elering, have agreed on a specific scenario and test date, the conditions of this experiment will be agreed with other parties involved: electricity market participants, transmission system operators and electricity producers.
The shut-off time will be selected after the appropriate tests have been carried out and as advised by the experts. The European Union will co-finance the costs of synchronizing the electrical networks of the Baltic States with the European and tariffs for electricity transmission. The exact value of the operation is not yet known.
Ukraine will not raise fees for the transit of Russian gas?
During the three-party talks scheduled for 17 July, Naftogaz will not demand an increase in charges for the transit of Russian gas through the territory of Ukraine.
– We will not demand that, in the long-term, transit fees increase – said in a conversation with the radio Novoy Wremia, commercial director of the Ukrainian concern, Yury Vitrenko.
He reminded that the main topic of the talks planned for today will be the transit of Russian gas to European consumers after 2019. – After 2020, transit fees will be lower than those currently included in the contract – said Vitrenko.
At the beginning of July, Naftogaz filed a petition with the Stockholm arbitration tribunal, in which it demanded revision of tariffs from March 2013. Initial claims of the company amount to USD 11,58 billion (net of interest). At the same time, Naftogaz pointed out that the amount of claims may be reduced if Gazprom meets certain conditions – that is, it will reserve capacity for transit after 2019 or cease to block the transit of gas from Central Asia and export of gas by other Russian companies.
In addition, according to Vitrenko, Naftogaz is to propose to Gazprom that it apply EU law in relation to the transit of gas through Ukraine.