Slovakia-Hungary Interconnector Gas Pipeline

From Global Energy Monitor
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Slovakia-Hungary Interconnector Gas Pipeline is an operating gas pipeline in Hungary.[1] A proposed expansion of the pipeline is a priority EU project.

Location

The pipeline runs from Szada, Hungary to Balassagyarmat, Hungary on the Slovakian border.

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Project Details

  • Operator: FGSZ ltd.[2]
  • Owner: FGSZ ltd.[2]
  • Parent: MOL Group
  • Current capacity: 4.5 bcm/y[3]
  • Length: 110 km[4]
  • Diameter: 800 mm / 31.5 inches[4]
  • Cost: EUR 170 million[5]
  • Financing: EUR 80 million loan from the European Investment Bank[6]; EUR 30 million funding from the European Commission and a EUR 21 million investment by the Slovak Republic[5]
  • Status: Operating
  • Start Year: 2015[7]

Expansion Details

  • Operator: FGSZ ltd.[2]
  • Owner: FGSZ ltd.[2]
  • Parent: MOL Group
  • Proposed Capacity: 5.3 bcm/y[3]
  • Status: Proposed
  • Cost: €58 million (US$66.1 million)[8]
  • Start Year: 2024[4][9]
  • Identifiers:
    • ENTSOG 2020 TYNDP: TRA-N-524[10]
    • PCI Code: 6.2.13[10]

Expansion Background

The pipeline expansion has been approved for inclusion on the European Commission's Projects of Common Interest (PCI) list (under the project code 6.2.13), meaning it is eligible to receive public funding from the EU. According to the European Commission, "The objectives of [this project] are: reducing the flow direction switch operation time, developing the transmission capacity in HU->SK and SK->HU directions from interruptible capacity to non-interruptible (firm) capacity, enhancement of Exit transmission capacity with 102 GWh/d in HU->SK direction and enhancement of Entry transmission capacity with 26 GWh/d in SK->HU direction at Balassagyarmat with adding power on Szada compressor station. Equal level of transmission capacities will be available in both directions at the SK-HU interconnection."[1]

In February 2020, Hungary and Slovakia signed a memorandum of understanding on expanding the interconnector's bidirectional capacity to 5.3 billion cubic meters per year. The currently operating interconnector has capacity of 4.5 billion cubic meters from Slovakia to Hungary and an interruptible capacity of 1.8 billion cubic meters in reverse mode.[3]

In November 2021, the expansion project was included in the 5th PCI list published by the European Commission.[11]

Although initially intended to be commissioned in 2022, the Three Seas Project highlights a new commissioning date of 2024, with construction expected to start in 2022.[9]

Articles and resources

References

  1. 1.0 1.1 Development and enhancement of transmission capacity of Slovakia – Hungary interconnection European Commission, November 2019
  2. 2.0 2.1 2.2 2.3 "FGSZ takes over the activity of MGT and becomes the single TSO of..." FGSZ. Retrieved 2020-08-18.
  3. 3.0 3.1 3.2 Hungary, Slovakia sign MoU on gas interconnector expansion, Budapest Business Journal, Feb. 21, 2020
  4. 4.0 4.1 4.2 European Network of Transmission System Operators for Gas (July 2020). "Current TYNDP : TYNDP 2020 - Annex A" (PDF). www.entsog.eu. Retrieved 2020-08-18.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
  5. 5.0 5.1 Prospects for strengthening Slovakia’s position at the natural gas markets of Central and Eastern Europe, CEP Consult, May 25, 2020
  6. Hungary-Slovakia Gas Interconnection, European Investment Bank Projects Database, Feb. 22, 2012
  7. "Eustream | Media". www.eustream.sk. Retrieved 2020-08-18.
  8. Ten Year Network Development Plan 2020 - Annex A - Projects Tables, ENTSOG, accessed Nov. 30, 2021
  9. 9.0 9.1 Three Seas Project (2022). "North-South Gas Corridor – Expansion of existing capacity between Hungary and Slovakia". 3seas. Retrieved Jul 14th, 2022. {{cite web}}: Check date values in: |access-date= (help)CS1 maint: url-status (link)
  10. 10.0 10.1 Eastern Europe Natural Gas Partnership (May 26, 2021). "Catalog of Potential Eastern European Natural Gas Investment Projects in Support of the Three Seas Initiative" (PDF). United States Energy Association. Archived (PDF) from the original on August 12, 2021. Retrieved September 7, 2021.
  11. ANNEX to COMMISSION DELEGATED REGULATION (EU) …/... amending Regulation (EU) No 347/2013 of the European Parliament and of the Council as regards the Union list of projects of common interest, European Commission, Nov. 19, 2021

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