To further enhance the security of Latvia’s natural gas supplies, as well as to secure larger volumes of natural gas for the current and future cycles, the Public Utilities Commission (SPRK) has developed amendments to the terms of use Inčukalns underground gas storage facility, as confirmed by the commission.
The aforementioned amendments were submitted by Conexus Baltic Grid JSC on 1 September. Public consultations were previously organised.
These amendments include changes in relation to the rights users of the storage system have to pump in gas into Inčukalns underground gas storage facility, as well as regulations that govern the withholding of fuel gas.
According to proposed amendments, the system’s operator may permit users of the system to pump in natural gas during the storage cycle withdrawal season (between 15 October and 30 April of the following year), if there is an objective and justified reason, including situations when regulations from state administration institutions present system operators with such a duty.
The period of time when physical gas pumping will be permitted during the withdrawal season will need to be announced by the system’s operator on their website no later than two days prior to the start of the process.
The amendment project also states that, similarly to the pumping season, injection of natural gas will be permitted during the withdrawal season using the system user’s owned fuel gas. The necessary volume of fuel gas is dictated in accordance with the fuel gas consumption factor specified by the system operator for the injection season.
If the volume of fuel gas consumed during the gas withdrawal season is lower than the gas volume received during the injection season, the system’s operator is to return the unused volume of gas in proportion to the amount actually injected during the injection season.
If the volume turns out larger, the gas volume not provided to the user of the system will need to be handed over to the system’s operator in the gas storage facility or virtual transmission point within 10 days of the system operator’s announcement of this decision.
If gas is injected to the gas storage facility in the current injection cycle (between 15 October and the day amendments come into force), the necessary gas volume will be set and system users will pay for it in accordance with terms listed in amendments.
According to SPRK chairperson Alda Ozola, in the current situation the ability of infrastructure managers to effectively and quickly respond to changes in the industry plays an important role, adding that it is especially important in the context of Inčukalns underground gas storage facility, considering that it is one of the most important guarantees for security of natural gas supplies.
«The intended amendments will have a positive effect on users because they will provide more flexibility,» said SRPK chairperson.