Central and Eastern Europe have more advantageous purchase prices of natural gas compared to Western European countries. European Commission Vice President, Maros Sefcovic, wants to ensure that Eastern European gas markets will operate as well as Western Europe markets within the Energy Union.
The daily gas transport capacity between the Czech Republic and Slovak is set to increase from 67 million cubic meters to 120 million cubic meters in three years.
Following gas price increase for Ukraine by Russia in January 2016, Ukraine has increased gas imports from the European Union. Gas imports via Slovakia to Ukraine have doubled over the last hours.
The mining company has already invested 18 million euros into research and plans to spend another 4.5 million euros on exploratory wells. Residents of affected villages in north-east of Slovakia have organised a protest against these activities.
According to the economy ministry, decree on gas refunds is set to be published in the Collection of Laws in the following days. Afterwards, nothing will stand in the way for Slovak consumers to receive gas refunds.
The daily gas transit to Ukraine via Vojany-Uzhgorod reverse gas pipeline has reached less than 19 million cubic meters over the first days of the year 2016. Gas transit even dropped to roughly 12 million cubic meters on Wednesday.
Slovak households that have expressed interest in state subsidies for small-scale RES will soon receive their vouchers which must be used within 30 days. Their solar panels can thus be built also during Christmas.
According to Slovak gas carrier Eustream, halting gas supplies from Russia to Ukraine is just a usual business decision by Ukraine which currently does not need to purchase natural gas from Gazprom.
The Regulatory Office for Network Industries would like to reflect falling gas prices on markets into gas prices for households and small companies. The series of regulated gas price reduction are likely to continue.
The Slovak-Hungarian gas pipeline officially started commercial operation in July 2015. However, gas traders have showed no interest in transporting gas via this new pipeline.
According to the Financial Policy Institute, the full abolition of the regulation of electricity and gas prices for Slovak households could be considered in five years. It is necessary to achieve a certain degree of change of suppliers and market concentration.
Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico says that companies which have agreed with Gazprom to the construction of Nord Stream 2 gas pipeline project, are making idiots of us.
European Commission Vice-President for Energy Union Maros Sefcovic reminded that Slovak-Ukrainian reverse gas flow is very important for the energy security of our eastern neighbor.
Three political parties, Smer-SD, KDH and SaS, promise unambiguous political support for the Eastring project in case of their victory in the upcoming parliamentary elections.
The state-owned company Slovensky Plynarensky Priemysel (SPP) remains the most important player on the Slovak gas market. Alternative suppliers have repeatedly reduced SPP’s market share moderately.