SEEGAS report sets out measures to mitigate gas supply risks in case of Russian gas disruption

  • Gas
  • Security of supply
1 October 2022

In a time of increased instability due to the Russian invasion of Ukraine, Energy Community Contracting Parties and EU Member States face the risk of gas supply disruptions and skyrocketing energy prices. Taking into account the urgency of ensuring the energy security of consumers in preparation for winter, the Energy Community Secretariat outlines concrete measures to mitigate gas supply risks through more efficient usage of existing gas infrastructure and new supply routes in a report published today under the “SEEGAS Initiative”.

Prepared in consultation with the region’s gas stakeholders, the SEEGAS report concludes that the region remains vulnerable and poorly connected due to numerous regulatory bottlenecks impeding the establishment of a competitive and resilient gas market despite the existence of abundant but underutilized physical transmission and import capacities. The report lays out general and country-specific recommendations to remove these bottlenecks, including:

  • The swift application of the EU’s Network Codes at border points between Contracting Parties and EU Member States;
  • Conclusion of interconnection agreements between Contracting Parties and EU Member States;
  • Transmission system operators to offer firm capacity in addition to interruptible capacity, wherever possible, and align on key issues such as gas quality and the calculation of commodity charges;
  • Improving the overall regulatory environment in certain countries.

The report provides practical information on the import and transmission capacity that is available regionally and describes the projects that are being developed to allow the region to access alternative sources of gas. The study acknowledges the importance of the Trans-Balkan corridor, as a potential backbone of an integrated region, providing access to alternative supplies, sourced as LNG in Greece or Turkey or as pipeline gas delivered from the Black Sea or Caspian Sea.

The findings of the report will be discussed at the Energy Community’s Gas Forum next week in Ljubljana.

About South-East European Gas (SEEGAS) Initiative: chaired by the Secretariat, SEEGAS is a well-established platform bringing together gas transmission system operators, gas exchanges and other stakeholders in the SEEGAS region to work together to support the creation of a competitive liquid gas market in accordance with the EU and Energy Community acquis, and ultimately benefit end-consumers through increased competition in gas trading.