GAZ-SYSTEM Briefs the EC about the Operator Agreement
At the meeting held on 4 November 2010, representatives of GAZ-SYSTEM S.A. presented to the European Commission’s DG Energy fragments of the Operator Agreement which transfers the operation of the Polish section of the Yamal-Europe Gas Pipeline. The European Commission was briefed about all items concerning the GAZ-SYSTEM’s role as the operator of the Yamal Line in Poland, in particular third-party access to infrastructure, how new gas transmission contracts are to be signed, and the distribution of responsibilities between the owner of the pipeline (EuRoPol GAZ s.a.) and the future operator (GAZ-SYSTEM S.A.). The European Commission has not raised any comments to the solutions adopted in the Operator Agreement signed on 25 October 2010 between GAZ-SYSTEM S.A. and EuRoPol GAZ s.a. Prior to the signing, the agreement was approved by the Energy Regulatory Office in terms of its compliance with EU and national legislation. “As we’ve informed earlier, the agreement under which we will operate the Polish section of the Yamal Line meets all postulated expectations of the European Commission and complies with the applicable EU and national legislation. GAZ-SYSTEM, as the future operator of that pipeline, will ensure access to free capacities to all interested companies based on transparent rules, and will be signing new transmission contracts. This will ensure unrestricted access of third parties to the transmission infrastructure”, said Jan Chadam, the President of the Executive Board, GAZ-SYSTEM S.A., after the meeting at DG Energy. Formally, GAZ-SYSTEM S.A. will become the operator of the Polish section of the Yamal Gas Pipeline when the President of the Energy Regulatory Office (URE) issues his decision to that effect. GAZ-SYSTEM S.A. expects the URE to decide on the matter within the next two weeks.
