Elering: Estonia's gas reserves sufficient for upcoming winter

TALLINN - Estonia's state-owned transmission system operator Elering has presented a draft development plan for Estonia's gas transmission network for 2025-2034 for public consultation, affirming that the region's gas reserves and supply channels will be sufficient to ensure security of supply during the upcoming heating season.

The gas supply situation in Estonia and the region for the winter of 2024/2025 is favorable. Thanks to sufficient gas reserves, enhanced supply channels, and the full recovery of the Balticconnector, stability and flexibility in gas deliveries are ensured. The region's energy supply security is supported by the Inčukalns gas storage facility in Latvia, the Klaipeda LNG terminal in Lithuania, the Inkoo LNG terminal in Finland, and the Lithuania-Poland gas interconnection (GIPL) with continental Europe.

While natural gas consumption in Estonia is projected to decline in the long term, demand is expected to grow in the coming years as new gas power plants connect to the network. This growth will mainly occur during cold and windless weather periods. New gas power plants, which ensure electricity supply during times when the wind does not blow, and the sun does not shine, will increase the importance of the gas network. These new connections will also help stabilize gas transmission tariffs as the main grid transitions to capacity-based tariffs

To support Estonia's energy security and electricity supply reliability, extending the lifespan of the gas network to 2050 will likely become an objective. Such an extension would provide new users of the gas transmission network with longer-term certainty and support the development of dispatchable power generation capacities, including those using renewable gases.

Renewable gases, such as biomethane and green hydrogen, will play a significant role in achieving carbon neutrality in the future. The introduction of hydrogen and the Nordic-Baltic hydrogen corridor project lay the foundation for sustainable energy supply and the region's competitiveness in the European energy market. The development of hydrogen transit infrastructure has reached the feasibility study phase, which includes initiating national planning processes. In Estonia, these plans are scheduled to begin in 2026.

Elering continues to invest in the gas transmission network and renewable gas infrastructure, ensuring long-term energy security and a transition to green energy.

The public consultations on Elering's development plan for Estonia's gas transmission network for 2025-2034 will run until Jan. 19.