In order to ensure that the right to use the natural gas transmission system operated by AB Amber Grid is granted objectively and fairly, without discrimination between individual network users, and taking into account the emergence of the new Lithuanian-Polish gas interconnection - GIPL, as well as to harmonise the provisions of the rules with the rules applicable in the Latvian and Estonian gas market area, we are submitting to public consultation AB Amber Grid draft Rules for Access to the Natural Gas Transmission System and AB Amber Grid draft Rules for Natural Gas Transmission System Balancing of AB Amber Grid.
1. Substantial amendments to AB Amber Grid Rules for Access to the Natural Gas Transmission System:
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It is planned that the GIPL capacity will be allocated through the GSA capacity allocation platform on the dates set out in the auction calendar, and the network users intending to transport gas through the GIPL are obliged to conclude an agreement with the GSA platform operator;
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Hourly volume nominations are planned to be submitted at the GIPL point, and GIPL capacity will be allocated as hourly capacity (kWh/hour) (both capacity and nominations are made for each hour of the day);
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It is provided that capacity will be booked for all hours of the day (or for the remaining hours in the case of current day capacity). There is no possibility to book capacity for a specific hour;
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The possibility to submit single-sided quantity nominations at the GIPL point, which will be collected by GAZ-SYSTEM;
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The possibility of injecting gas produced from renewable energy sources into the system is foreseen - a virtual green gas entry point;
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It is provided that all network users will be required to provide collaterals for the fulfilment of obligations, with a minimum amount of the collaterals for the fulfilment of obligations reaching EUR 25,000, with the exemption of operators of distribution and other gas systems interconnected to the transmission system, and undertakings regulated by SERC, other than those engaged in the business of supplying gas and which are not state-owned companies;
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It is provided that the gas year will start on 1 October (the transitional gas year 2022 will run from 1 January to 1 October). The rules will enter into force from 2022.
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Volume nominations at the domestic exit point will be abandoned.
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Two domestic exit points will be equipped (no price differentiation based on the volume of gas transported per year).
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The network users will be exempted from payment for firm transmission capacity when the duration of the limitation exceeds 14 days per year.
2. Substantial amendments to AB Amber Grid Rules for Natural Gas Transmission System Balancing Rules:
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The possibility to transfer balancing responsibilities to another network user will be introduced. The network user that has assumed the balancing responsibility cannot transfer its balancing responsibility.
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The neutrality fee is calculated as the total amount of all revenues and costs related to balancing activities divided by the total amount of gas released during the accounting period.
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The term 'gas released' includes: (1) the quantity released at a domestic exit release point; (2) the quantity released at interconnection points linking the gas systems of two European Union countries; (3) the quantity released at a virtual trading point.
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Instead of the supply schedules currently provided by the supply companies, it is foreseen that both parties to a gas sale and purchase transaction will provide trade notifications.
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The trade notifications must be submitted no later than 30 minutes before the end of the gas day (there is no possibility to revise the data after the end of the gas day, i.e., no "previous day's product” remains).
The proposed amendments will allow more flexible access to natural gas transmission system services for network users, ensure capacity allocation in the new Lithuanian-Polish gas interconnection – GIPL, and harmonise the provisions of the rules with the rules applicable in the Latvian and Estonian gas market area.
AB Amber Grid Draft Rules for the Access to the Natural Gas Transmission System and AB Amber Grid Draft Rules for Natural Gas Transmission System Balancing Rules have been published on
AB Amber Grid website.
We invite you to submit your comments and suggestions both on
the existing provisions of the Rules and on the new provisions of the draft Rules to
consultation@ambergrid.lt
Comments and suggestions for the new draft rules will be welcomed until 18 June 2021.
Once all comments and suggestions have been received and evaluated, we will submit the draft rules to National Energy Regulatory Council for approval and endorsement. It is expected that the rules will be adopted in Q3 2021.
