Baltic Energy Market Interconnection Plan GRIP 2017

4.7 Poland

At the end of 2016, the gas transmission system in Poland consisted of high-pressure gas pipelines with a total length of 10,989km, 67 entry points, 983 exit points, 896 gas stations, 15 compressor stations and 44 system nodes. The transmission network consists of two cooperating systems covering high- and low-calorific gas. The gas network in Poland is connected to the European grid, but mainly along the East-West axis. There are six major physical entry points into the transmission net- work that are located in Drozdowicze (IP with Ukraine), Wysokoje (Belarus), Lwówek and Włocławek (on the Yamal-Europe pipeline), Lasów (Germany), Cieszyn (the Czech Republic). As of June 2016, the transmission system in Poland can also be supplied via the LNG terminal in Świnoujście. The Polish system is also connected with Ukraine in Hermanowice. This point is used to export gas to Ukraine. GAZ-SYSTEM S.A. completed an investment plan in 2015 that consisted of the construction of the LNG terminal in Świnoujście and more than 1,200km of new gas pipelines. The majority of domestic pipelines were constructed in north-western Poland to enable efficient distribution of gas from Świnoujście throughout Poland. In addition, GAZ-SYSTEM launched a new cross-border interconnection at the Czech Republic to Cieszyn in September 2011, upgraded an existing interconnection at Lasów to Germany in January 2012 and finally expanded a metering station in Mallnow at the Polish-German border enabling virtual and physical reverse flow at the Polish section of the Yamal-Europe pipeline. The implementation of these projects fostered Poland’s energy security through the creation of technical condi- tions to diversify the natural gas supply. The working gas volume and injection/withdrawal capacity of the storage facilities in Poland have increased in recent years with the commissioning of investment projects by the storage operator. The working volume currently amounts for approx. 32.5TWh. The storage operator and GAZ-SYSTEM plan to extend this further. As part of its 2016–2025 investment plan, GAZ-SYSTEM, in cooperation with the Danish TSO – Energinet.dk, plans to implement the NO–DK–PL project (Baltic Pipe) that will provide a direct access to Norwegian supplies at up to 10bcm/y for Central- Eastern Europe and the Baltic region at the latest by 2022. Reverse capacity of 3bcm/y from Poland to Denmark is also foreseen. The company is also investigat- ing the potential for increasing regasification capacity and providing new services at the LNG terminal in Świnoujście. The following additional services are currently con- sidered for ongoing studies: transhipment, bunkering, rail loading and enhanced track loading (the service is already offered). The FSRU terminal in the Bay of Gdańsk is also considered as an alternative investment to the NO–DK–PL project. GAZ-SYSTEM is cooperating with Amber Grid to implement Gas Interconnection Poland–Lithuania (GIPL). The GIPL project is aimed at establishing a bidirectional interconnection between the gas transmission systems in Poland and Lithuania in order to integrate the isolated gas markets in the Baltic States with the European gas market grids. The project is instrumental in creating an interconnected, diversified and competitive gas market in the East Baltic region.

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BEMIP Gas Regional Investment Plan 2017