GAZ-SYSTEM S.A. the operator of the Polish section of the Jamal pipeline
On 17 November 2010 the President of the Energy Regulatory Office issued the decision designating the GAZ-SYSTEM S.A. Company is an independent operator of the Polish section of the Jamal pipeline for the term up to 31 December 2025. GAZ-SYSTEM S.A. is a State Treasury Company and the operator of the national gas transmission system that is almost 10 thousand km in length.
"We are well prepared to exercise the function of operator of the Polish section of the Jamal pipeline because we have already implemented and applied similar principles related to informational obligations and ensuring interested companies unrestricted access to the transmission infrastructure resulting from EU and domestic regulations for almost 10 thousand km of domestic transmission pipelines,” – Jan Chadam, President of the Management Board of GAZ-SYSTEM S.A stated.
"Today's decision of the President of the ERO will enable us to fulfil the function of operator on the transit section of the pipeline in Poland pursuant to the agreement that was signed earlier with its owner. We are not commencing with works on preparing the practical procedures (including the Network Code) enabling the performance of the agreement and guaranteeing unrestricted access to free transmission capacity in the Jamal pipeline,” – Jan Chadam added.
On 25 October 2010, GAZ-SYSTEM S.A. and EuRoPol Gaz s.a. (owner of the Polish section of the Jamal pipeline) signed an agreement entrusting the function of operator on the Polish section of the Jamal - Europe Transit Pipeline System (TPS). The agreement was concluded until the end of 2019 and sets the principles of how GAZ-SYSTEM S.A. shall fulful its function of operator of the Jamal pipeline in the territory of the Republic of Poland and on the corporate level defines mutual relations between the gas pipeline operator and its owner. The document specifies both the duties of GAZ-SYSTEM S.A. as the operator of the Polish section of the transit pipeline, as well as the obligations of EuRoPol Gaz s.a. as the owner of this infrastructure.
Pursuant to the provisions of the agreement, the obligations of GAZ-SYSTEM S.A. will include steering the operations of the Jamal pipeline in the territory of the Republic of Poland and cooperation with transmission system operators of neighbouring countries that are directly connected to the transit pipeline (Bieltransgaz in Belarus and Wingas in Germany). The operator will also ensure the security of pipeline operations through management and supervision of its operation and maintenance work. One of the obligations of GAZ-SYSTEM S.A. will also be to supply system users with information on the terms and conditions of services and free transmission capacity in the Jamal pipeline. This information will be published on the operator's website. New gas transmission contracts within the available free capacity will be concluded and performed by GAZ-SYSTEM S.A.
At the beginning of next year, GAZ-SYSTEM S.A. will begin publishing the information required by law concerning the planned maintenance work on the Polish section of the Jamal pipeline, connecting points with another operator's network and information about the quality of the gas.
GAZ-SYSTEM S.A. will begin publishing information about the technical, contracted and available transmission capacity for given entry and exit points as well as the maximum and minimum monthly used transmission capacity rate, at the latest in the I quarter of 2011. The scope and manner of publishing the said information is subject to the approval of the President of the ERO.
The Transmission Network Code will also be prepared and will include, among others, the principles of providing transmission services with the use of the Polish section of the Jamal pipeline, as well as the principles for concluding transmission contracts and the manner of performing settlements for the services rendered by the operator. The Code will also include a full catalogue of services performed by the operator of the Polish section of the Jamal pipeline, non-discriminatory allocation mechanisms of the available transmission capacity, the principles of congestion management, balancing and fees for imbalance. The Code will be approved by the President of the Energy Regulatory Office once the consultation process of the document with the market participants has been carried out. The preparation, consultation and setting of the document for approval by the President of the ERO will take place in the II quarter of 2011 at the latest.
Once the Transmission Network Code has been approved by the President of the ERO,GAZ-SYSTEM S.A. will commence with offering the uncontracted capacity on the Polish section of the Jamal pipeline under the principle of non-discrimination.
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The Gas Transmission Operator GAZ-SYSTEM S.A. is a strategic, wholly-owned State Treasury Company responsible for the transmission of natural gas throughout Poland. The Company manages assets worth in excess of 5 bn PLN comprised mainly of elements of the transmission system, e.g. 9.7 thousand km of high pressure pipelines, 14 compressor stations, 56 hubs and 970 exit points. The Company employs over 2,000 people.
GAZ-SYSTEM S.A. is the owner of the Polskie LNG S.A., which was established to construct and manage the liquefied natural gas terminal (LNG) in Świnoujście.
Contact:
Małgorzata Polkowska
Spokesperson for GAZ-SYSTEM S.A.
Tel. (22) 22-01-755, 691-911-217
e-mail: <span lang="EN-US">pr@gaz-system.pl</span>
