Ukraine signs memorandum on natural gas quality with GTS operators of CESEC countries

The relevant statement was made by the company’s press service, an Ukrinform correspondent reports.

“In Budapest, during a meeting of the High-Level Group of Central and Southeast Europe, the gas transmission system (GTS) operators that are members of the CESEC initiative signed a Memorandum of Understanding related to developing a common approach and action plan to harmonize the gas quality requirements at interconnection points in the region,” the report states.

The document was also signed by Bulgartransgaz (Bulgaria’s GTS operator), DESFA (Greece’s GTS operator), FGSZ (Hungary), ICGB (Greece-Bulgaria interconnector operator), Nomagas (North Macedonia’s GTS operator), PLINACRO (Croatia’s GTS operator), PLINOVODI (Slovenia’s GTS operator), Transgaz (Romania’s GTS operator), and Vestmoldtransgaz (Moldova’s GTS operator).

Historically, Central and Southeast Europe used to depend on the import of Russian natural gas, whose physicochemical properties specified the natural gas quality requirements along the respective routes, both at the national level and at interstate connection points. The compatibility and market integration of gas systems in the CESEC zone require further efforts to diversify the supply and gradually abandon Russian gas, which is also stipulated in the RePower EU plan.

Meanwhile, the diversification of supply and the development of cross-border trade require that the GTS operators adapt the requirements, taking into account the varying quality of natural gas from different sources.

The High-Level Group on the development of energy grids in Central and Southeast Europe is working to accelerate the integration of gas and electricity markets in the region. The purpose of its activities is to develop a common approach to the electricity and gas markets, energy efficiency and renewable energy development, the selection of priority projects to build the interconnected regional electricity and gas market, as well as specific actions to increase the share of renewable energy and investments in energy efficiency in the region.

A reminder that, in January 2024, Gas Transmission System Operator of Ukraine LLC (GTSOU) was among the gas transmission system operators of Central and Southeast Europe who signed a Memorandum of Understanding as part of the Vertical Corridor initiative. The document was also signed by the representatives of Moldova, Greece, Bulgaria, Romania, Hungary and Slovakia.

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