Doris Leblond
OGJ Correspondent
PARIS, Apr. 1 -- Gaz de France's transport network subsidiary GRTgaz will invest nearly €600 million this year in network development. This is 47% more than in 2007. The company plans €5 billion in investments during 2007-16.
The funds will be used to develop the network, put it in conformity with new safety standards, renew aging equipment, and connect new clients.
Press officer Nadine Salaris told OGJ that investments should fall in 2009 to €500 million, in 2010 to €460-70 million, and to €350 million in 2011 before peaking in 2012 to 2016. At that time the planned gasification terminals are scheduled to come on stream: EdF's project in Dunkirk, Gaz de France's Montoir-de-Bretagne expansion, and the Le Havre project of the joint venture Poweo, Austria's Verbund, and Germany's E.On AG.
Connections will have to be carried out, transport capacities increased, and core networks developed, said Salaris.
GRTgaz also indicated that in late March it would redistribute the capacity overrun penalties charged in 2007 to shippers who subscribe insufficient daily and hourly capacity on their delivery points to industrial customers. The penalties will amount to €13 million.
The purpose is to encourage shippers to subscribe capacity levels that match consumption on the sites they supply, essential if transmission operators are to design their transmission systems and distribute costs fairly among market players.
