Transgaz announces expansion of Vertical Corridor by adding three new operators

 An important step towards the activation of a bi-directional corridor of natural gas flows from Greece to Ukraine and vice versa was taken on Friday by the natural gas infrastructure operators participating in the Vertical Corridor initiative, through signing the Memorandum of Understanding by the operators from the Republic of Moldova (Vestmoldtransgaz), Ukraine (GTSO) and Slovakia (Eustream), a Transgaz press release informs.The Memorandum of Understanding establishing a two-way flow of gas from Greece to Ukraine was signed on the sidelines of the ministerial meeting of the CESEC High Level Group. On behalf of Transgaz, the Memorandum was signed by the general manager, Ion Sterian, and for the other companies, the respective general managers signed.According to Transgaz, the document validates the intense cooperation developed by gas and LNG transport system operators from Greece (DESFA, Gastrade), Bulgaria (ICGB, Bulgartrangaz), Romania (Transgaz), Hungary (FGSZ) and Slovakia (Eustream), following the meeting organized in Bucharest by Transgaz on January 11, 2023."This corridor will bring prestige to Romania and energy security for the countries of Eastern Europe, the Republic of Moldova and Ukraine, but also for the center of Europe. Transgaz is a constant and strong supporter of the Vertical Corridor, acting permanently by respecting the commitments assumed and by developing a constructive dialogue and a close cooperation. Transgaz trusts in the synergy of the Technical System Operators from Greece, Bulgaria, Romania, Hungary, Ukraine, the Republic of Moldova and Slovakia, in the significant impact they can bring in increasing and consolidating the energy security of the respective countries, of the region and the European Union. A coordinated development of these countries' systems and interconnection capacities can contribute to the transformation of the region and the continent from the perspective of gas supply security and allow Romania to become a pole of economic development in Europe," Ion Sterian said.The complete activation of the Vertical Corridor, through the appropriate modernization of the networks in the mentioned countries, will allow the transport of gas from the south to the north and vice versa, through the European natural gas and LNG transport systems, capitalizing on the increased capacities of the new FSRUs and those under construction development in the area. This potential can be expanded even more by using the mentioned infrastructures for renewable gases and hydrogen.As to the next steps, the participants consider that the best way forward is their coordination, in accordance with market-based solutions and European legislation. In this context, they agree to simultaneously carry out, in July 2024, one year earlier than the planned calendar, a binding market test for the allocation of capacities at their respective interconnection points, in accordance with the CAM Regulation (EU) of European Commission. Later, based on the interest of the users, they will identify and size the most appropriate and better oriented capacity expansion projects needed to satisfy the demand along the vertical corridor route.Transgaz is the technical operator of the National Natural Gas Transport System (SNT) and ensures the fulfillment in conditions of efficiency, transparency, safety, non-discriminatory access and competitiveness of the national strategy regarding the domestic and international transport of natural gas, the dispatching of natural gas, as well as research and design in the specific field of its activity, in compliance with the requirements of European and national legislation, quality standards, performance, environment and sustainable development.