European Commission to Sue Ireland over Gas Policy. Our Führers sure love their gas!

[Pat Gill]

There has been considerable progress made in this area recently and I would imagine that no case will be brought forward.

2012 will see a focus on fresh EU regulation across member states alongside a raft of new infrastructure while a band of countries continue the push towards liberalisation.
Alongside legislation specifically aimed at traded energy markets, EU legislation on financial trading will come in and out of the headlines with outstanding elements of the third energy package bringing in regulator and system operators across member states.

* The Commission for Energy Regulation (CER) in Ireland will reach a decision on the regulatory treatment of gas interconnectors between Britain and Ireland by the end of this month.

* The CER is locked in a dispute with Shannon LNG, the operator of Ireland's regasification plant project, over a proposed ?10m annual tariff towards the operation and maintenance of gas interconnectors. Shannon LNG refuses to pay any tariff and has referred the matter to the European Commission, claiming a tariff would amount to unlawful state aid.


* Interruptible virtual reverse flows through the UK-to-Ireland Moffat interconnector will commence on an interim basis this month after Irish TSO Gaslink received regulatory approval for a code modification in late December. This will let participants active in the Irish market keep gas back at the UK NBP hub, acting as virtual exports of Irish gas. The system will facilitate cross-border trading.




Outlook 2012: Regulation, cross-market links in focus - Power Engineering

[Kevin Doyle]

There has been considerable progress made in this area recently and I would imagine that no case will be brought forward.

Thats that then, thanks Pat.