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BEMIP Gas Regional Investment Plan 2017
4.7 Poland
At the end of 2016, the gas transmission system in
Poland consisted of high-pressure gas pipelines with
a total length of 10,989km, 67 entry points, 983 exit
points, 896 gas stations, 15 compressor stations and
44 system nodes. The transmission network consists
of two cooperating systems covering high- and
low-calorific gas.
The gas network in Poland is connected to the European grid, but mainly along the
East-West axis. There are six major physical entry points into the transmission net-
work that are located in Drozdowicze (IP with Ukraine), Wysokoje (Belarus), Lwówek
and Włocławek (on the Yamal-Europe pipeline), Lasów (Germany), Cieszyn (the
Czech Republic). As of June 2016, the transmission system in Poland can also be
supplied via the LNG terminal in Świnoujście. The Polish system is also connected
with Ukraine in Hermanowice. This point is used to export gas to Ukraine.
GAZ-SYSTEM S.A. completed an investment plan in 2015 that consisted of the
construction of the LNG terminal in Świnoujście and more than 1,200km of new gas
pipelines. The majority of domestic pipelines were constructed in north-western
Poland to enable efficient distribution of gas from Świnoujście throughout Poland. In
addition, GAZ-SYSTEM launched a new cross-border interconnection at the Czech
Republic to Cieszyn in September 2011, upgraded an existing interconnection at
Lasów to Germany in January 2012 and finally expanded a metering station in
Mallnow at the Polish-German border enabling virtual and physical reverse flow at
the Polish section of the Yamal-Europe pipeline. The implementation of these
projects fostered Poland’s energy security through the creation of technical condi-
tions to diversify the natural gas supply.
The working gas volume and injection/withdrawal capacity of the storage facilities in
Poland have increased in recent years with the commissioning of investment
projects by the storage operator. The working volume currently amounts for approx.
32.5TWh. The storage operator and GAZ-SYSTEM plan to extend this further.
As part of its 2016–2025 investment plan, GAZ-SYSTEM, in cooperation with the
Danish TSO – Energinet.dk, plans to implement the NO–DK–PL project (Baltic Pipe)
that will provide a direct access to Norwegian supplies at up to 10bcm/y for Central-
Eastern Europe and the Baltic region at the latest by 2022. Reverse capacity of
3bcm/y from Poland to Denmark is also foreseen. The company is also investigat-
ing the potential for increasing regasification capacity and providing new services at
the LNG terminal in Świnoujście. The following additional services are currently con-
sidered for ongoing studies: transhipment, bunkering, rail loading and enhanced
track loading (the service is already offered). The FSRU terminal in the Bay of
Gdańsk is also considered as an alternative investment to the NO–DK–PL project.
GAZ-SYSTEM is cooperating with Amber Grid to implement Gas Interconnection
Poland–Lithuania (GIPL). The GIPL project is aimed at establishing a bidirectional
interconnection between the gas transmission systems in Poland and Lithuania in
order to integrate the isolated gas markets in the Baltic States with the European gas
market grids. The project is instrumental in creating an interconnected, diversified
and competitive gas market in the East Baltic region.