Amber Grid, the gas transmission system operator, plans to sign contract agreements for the reconstruction of the Vilnius-Kaunas main gas pipeline. The General Meeting of Shareholders of the company will be held on 14 October to approve these contracts.

 

Two companies won two different tenders to reconstruct sections of the pipeline, totalling more than 16 km. A contract of €1.6 million is planned to be signed with the contractor DS-1 and €10.9 million with MT Group. The contracts will be subject to the approval of the General Meeting of Shareholders. Half of the total amount of the project is financed by the EU Structural Assistance Fund.

 

Parts of the Vilnius-Kaunas gas pipeline will be upgraded to ensure safe and uninterrupted gas transmission. The sections to be reconstructed cross the urbanised and commercial areas of Kaunas and Kaišiadorys district municipalities. The works will include the installation of a new pipeline with thicker walls and new trays to protect the gas pipeline under railways and motorways.

 

"The gas pipeline connecting Vilnius and Kaunas is one of the most important arteries of the entire gas system, so it is only natural that we want to ensure its safety and long-term service life. It also connects to the new GIPL pipeline to Poland. With the recent westward shift of gas flows, it is essential to ensure reliable gas transmission, taking into account the needs of the market," said Nemunas Biknius, CEO of Amber Grid.

 

The reconstruction of a part of the gas route that is important for international gas flows will use digital technologies, with innovative corrosion rate sensors installed in the gas pipeline, which will provide remote data to draw conclusions about the condition of the pipeline. Adequate corrosion protection of pipelines is an essential tool to ensure the safety and reliability of the gas pipeline system.

 

The reconstruction of the gas pipeline sections is planned to be completed by mid-2023.