– Baltic Pipe is a key element for the improvement of the energy security of the region – said the Plenipotentiary of the Government for Strategic Energy Infrastructure, Piotr Naimski, at the conference titled: “The Future of Baltic Energy Security”. The event, which took place on 25 September 2018 in Washington, was also attended by the president of Gaz-System, Tomasz Stępień.
During the meeting, which was organised by the Jamestown Foundation, Minister Piotr Naimski addressed the significance of the Baltic Pipe project for the satisfaction of the energy demand of Poland and countries of the Baltic region: The planned gas pipeline is a part of the Northern Gate concept, which is designed to change the axis of gas transmission in Europe from west-east to north-south. Baltic Pipe will enable a diversification of the sources and directions of gas supply and improve the energy security of Poland, countries of Central and Eastern Europe and the entire European Union – he emphasised.
President Tomasz Stępień informed that the final decision to implement the Baltic Pipe project would be made by the promoters of the project – Gaz-System and Energinet – by the end of 2018: We proceed in accordance with the adopted schedule. The construction of Baltic Pipe will begin in 2020, so that first gas can be supplied from Norway to Poland in October 2022 – he said.
The President of Gaz-System also emphasised that Baltic Pipe was classified by the European Commission as a Project of Common Interest (PCI). This status is awarded to infrastructural projects that are critical to the improvement of security, diversification of the supply of natural gas in the European Union and development of a competitive market.
The PCI status, including the funds awarded under the CEF programme for the Baltic Pipe project, demonstrate the significance of the project to the implementation of the objectives of the energy policy of the European Union, in particular: enhancement of competition, integration of gas markets, improved security of supply and successful implementation of the principles of sustainable development.
Gaz-System