On 17 August, 2021 the remote meeting took place between the representatives of the Polish Energy Regulatory Office (URE) and the National Energy Regulatory Council (NERC).
Lithuanian and Polish energy regulatory authorities presented the latest developments in gas markets touching in particular the updates in the natural gas transmission tariffs methodologies and grid development. The representatives of the meeting attached high importance to the major developments related with the construction of new interconnectors and internal gas grid reinforcement that will impact on the changes in flow patterns. The meeting was an important occasion to discuss the cooperation opportunities once the gas interconnection Poland – Lithuania (GIPL) is commissioned in 2022. The discussion focused around the ways to achieve the common goals – efficient use of the gas interconnector GIPL and LNG terminals in both countries with the aim to ensure the highest benefits to consumers. As a step by step approach it was agreed first to start the discussions on the application of the discounts at the entry point from and exit point to GIPL. To this end the energy regulatory authorities the URE and the NERC agreed to prepare a joint letter addressed to the countries' transmission system operators (TSOs) with the aim to invite TSOs to initiate bilateral discussions and prepare joint proposals on the tariffication of GIPL, that will support the full use of GIPL capacity. Future cooperation among the energy regulatory authorities of Poland and Lithuania could focus on the next steps discussed that could include common gas tariff zone creation, implementation of common LNG capacity allocation market, merger of gas exchanges, further harmonisation of the regulatory framework rules.
The second part of the meeting was devoted to the recent updates on electricity issues: the analysis of the price difference between the Latvian and Lithuanian electricity price zones was presented by the NERC representatives including the information on the planned future steps related with the ongoing public consultation announced by the NERC regarding the Methodology on cross-zonal capacity calculation and allocation with third countries that was prepared by the electricity transmission system operator LITGRID AB.
This online meeting is the continuation of the bilateral cooperation that started back in October 2019 when the representatives of the URE visited the NERC premises. It was agreed to continue the bilateral cooperation and updates on the future developments in both, Polish and Lithuanian, energy markets in future exchanges among the representatives of the energy regulatory authorities of Poland and Lithuania.