Slovakia has gained access to gas from the Baumgarten node

On 24 October, in the Austrian town of Baumgarten, work allowing the direction of gas transport from Slovakia through the branch of the Brotherhood transit gas pipeline to be reversed was completed. The new gas supply direction increases Slovakia’s energy security. The Slovak operator Eustream and the Slovak government, which were heavily hit by the gas crisis in 2009, are seeking to accelerate the construction of the connector with Hungary.

The construction of the pumping station will enable transports of gas from Baumgarten to the node in Plavecky Stvrtok in Solvakia. Up to now this gas pipeline (the branch of the Brotherhood transit pipeline) was only used for supplies of gas from Russia to Austria. Currently, it can supply gas from the western direction, especially in case supplies from Russia through the Brotherhood pipeline are disrupted. The Slovak government has emphasised that as a final result, the connector may ensure supplies from the planned Nabucco gas pipeline.

Gas supplies to Slovakia are predominantly Russian; it is transported through the Slovak section of the Brotherhood pipeline leading to the Czech Republic. At the beginning of 2009, work allowing gas to be transported in the opposite direction, from the Czech Republic to Slovakia, was completed. The construction of a 115 km-long gas connector with Hungary (Velke Zlievce–Vecses) is now a priority investment. On 15 October, the phase that combines open-season procedures was opened once again, and as part of this, transmission capacities are being reserved for the planned link. The implementation of this project is scheduled for the beginning of 2014. <boc>