What goes on in Poland on the 24th of September.
The Danish consulting company COWI announced the winning of three tenders for preparatory works as part of the implementation of the Baltic Pipe project. As the company stresses, the cost of this investment on the Danish side will amount to less than EUR 1 billion and will cover 950 km of the gas pipeline from Norway through Denmark to Poland. The aim of the project – as the company indicates – is to increase competition on the European gas market and secure gas supplies in Poland and Eastern Europe.
Consulting
The Danish part of the large-scale project consists of several elements that are offered in packages. COWI signed a contract for the implementation of two of the four packages in the area of consultations for a 70-kilometer overland gas pipeline on Zealand and a new gas terminal in Nybro north of Varde. According to COVI, the company won two of the five main auctions. COWI also won a subcontracting contract for a 105-110 kilometers sea gas pipeline in the North Sea.
COWI has been part of the Danish gas sector since the beginning and the company has been involved in many projects on land and sea, including the land gas pipeline between Ellund and Egtved in Jutland, which will be part of the Baltic Pipe project – said Jens Bjørnmose, vice president of the Bioenergy sector and Thermal energy in the COWI company.
– The Danish government has not yet decided on the Baltic Pipe. COWI undertakes detailed project activities regarding the above-mentioned packages, which will form the basis for making the final investment decision – said Sussi Heimburger from the COVI press office in response to the questions of the BiznesAlert.pl portal.
Heats
At the beginning of September, the Danish transmission network operator, Energinet.dk wrote an order, under which it is looking for a supplier of certification services for the construction of elements of the Baltic Pipe pipeline on the Danish side. The tender concerns the certification of the Lillebælt gas pipeline, PLEM system (Pipeline End Manifold) and connections on the Danish side of the gas pipeline with the Norwegian transmission network in the North Sea, ie with the Europipe II pipeline. According to the order, certification must include verification of all phases, from design through production, installation and commissioning, inclusive. On this basis, the Baltic Pipe project must obtain an unconditional conformity certificate for pipelines, for which the designated certification body will be responsible.
Arguments
Natural gas is still fossil fuel, but it is much more ecological than coal – explained Bjørnmose. It also expects the gas pipeline to play a significant role for many years. The Baltic Pipe project will enable the transport of Norwegian gas to gas markets in Poland and Eastern Europe, ensuring greater competition and new supply routes.
The project is designed to support the energy transformation of Poland, in the transition from coal to natural gas. In Denmark, the gas pipeline will translate into lower fees and lower gas bills for Danish gas consumers and will provide a more stable gas system with extensive supply routes.