According to data from Lithuanian gas transmission system operator Amber Grid, 18.5 terawatt-hours (TWh) of gas have been consumed for Lithuanian demand this year, which is five per cent more than over the same period last year (17.7 TWh). The cold winter and spring weather at the beginning of the year led to higher gas consumption in the heat and electricity generation sectors. During the summer, gas consumption in Lithuania decreased.
In January-September this year, Amber Grid transported 20.2 TWh of natural gas to consumers in Lithuania and the Baltic region and Finland, excluding gas transmission to Kaliningrad Oblast. This is one-fifth – or 20.5 per cent – less compared to the same period in 2020, when 25.4 TWh of natural gas was transported to Lithuania. Gas flows to Latvia also decreased. A total of 1.7 TWh of gas was transmitted via the gas interconnection between Lithuania and Latvia for the Baltic States and Finland, which is 78 per cent less compared to the first three quarters of 2020, when an impressive 7.8 TWh of gas was transported to the Baltic States due to the extremely low gas prices at that time.
“The trend in the gas transmission system is continuing, where, due to high gas prices, suppliers are reducing the flows of gas supplied to Latvia, and thus to the northern part of the European Union. At present, gas is reaching the Lithuanian transmission system without interruptions and in the volumes planned. The unfavourable situation with gas prices has highlighted the importance of renewable energy sources. The project being implemented by the operator this year with installing solar plants at the company’s facilities will make it possible to reduce the amount of electricity produced from gas and consumed in the transmission network. In this way, we will also reduce the costs incurred by the company for technological needs,” says Amber Grid CEO Nemunas Biknius.
The Klaipėda LNG terminal remains the most important infrastructure for gas to enter Lithuania. During the first three quarters of the year, 65.6 per cent (13.4 TWh) of the total amount of gas that was brought in for consumers in Lithuania, the other Baltic States and Finland came from the terminal, while 12.1 per cent (2.5 TWh) came from Latvia and 22.3 per cent (4.6 TWh) came from Belarus.
The situation on global gas exchanges due to high prices has recently affected gas consumption in Lithuania. In July-September, 3.8 TWh of gas was consumed in Lithuania, or 25 per cent less compared to the same period last year, when gas consumption in the country amounted to 5.1 TWh.
Gas transportation from Belarus to Kaliningrad via Lithuania in the first nine months of this year amounted to 18.2 TWh, which is 6.4 per cent more than during the same period last year, when 17.2 TWh of gas was transmitted to Kaliningrad through our country.
Gas is supplied to Lithuania through the Klaipėda LNG terminal and from Russia via Belarus and Latvia. Once the gas interconnection between Poland and Lithuania is launched in 2022, another alternative source of gas supply will be created, ensuring the supply of gas from various gas sources through Poland to Lithuania, the other Baltic countries and Finland.
