– The Poland-Slovakia gas connection is an important element in building an integrated European gas market. It will allow us to increase gas transmission from the LNG terminal and the Baltic Pipe gas pipeline to our partners from Central and Eastern Europe. On 19 July 2019, Gaz-System signed a contract for the construction of this gas pipeline – says Artur Zawartko, Vice-President of Gaz-System.
The contract for the investment project was concluded with a consortium composed of Budimex Mostostal S.A. and Mostostal Kraków S.A. The value of the contract amounts to over PLN 500 million. Construction work will begin in September 2019. The gas pipeline will be approximately 59 km long, with a diameter of 1,000 mm and an operating pressure of 8.4 MPa.
Vice President Zawartko emphasized that the gas pipeline will contribute to the economic development of the Subcarpathian region, especially in the communes on the gas pipeline route. Another important benefit for the local community will be the property tax paid annually by Gaz-System, which will be up to 2% of the constructed transmission infrastructure value.
The Poland–Slovakia gas connection requires extensive complex engineering work. – In order to pass under the elements of the road and municipal infrastructure and watercourses, approximately 20 smaller trenchless crossings will be made, with a total length of 885 meters. In addition, there will be drilling conducted under the Sanoczek River at a depth of approximately 50 meters and a length of approximately 1 km. Moreover, the gas pipeline route runs through mountainous areas, with an elevation of 337 meters from the starting point at the Strachocina station to the final point at the Polish border. On the gas pipeline route, two shut-off and relief valve systems will be constructed in the towns of Płonna and Nowy Łupków – says Artur Zawartko, the Vice-President of Gaz-System.
The design of a gas interconnector between Poland and Slovakia assumes the construction of a new cross-border gas pipeline, which will connect the natural gas transmission systems of Poland and Slovakia. The parties to the project are Gaz-System and EUSTREAM a.s., the operator of the Slovak transmission system.
Connection of the Slovak and Polish gas transmission systems have been recognized in the list of PCI projects approved by the European Commission in November 2017 within the North-South Gas Interconnections in Central Eastern and South Eastern Europe priority corridor (NSI East Gas). It has been the third time of granting the PCI status, as in the past, the project had been mentioned both in the first and the second PCI Lists, approved back in 2013 and 2015, respectively.
The significance of the Poland-Slovakia project for development of the gas market within the European Union has been also reflected in the EU subsidies provided within TEN-E (Trans-European Energy Networks) and CEF (Connecting Europe Facility) programs. The grants encompassed analytic, design and construction works, to be performed in the territory of Poland and Slovakia. Top priority co-financing agreements related to this project were signed by Gaz-System and Eustream and Innovation and Networks Executive Agency (INEA) in 2015 (design works) and 2017 (construction works).
Gaz-System