New European Union gas regions proposed

Dec. 8, 2010
In a move to bolster cross-border regional energy cooperation, European Union Energy Commissioner Gunther Oettinger suggested the Regional Iniative and the European Regulators Group for Electricity & Gas target specific goals.

Doris Leblond
OGJ Correspondent

PARIS, Dec. 8 -- In a move to bolster cross-border regional energy cooperation, European Union Energy Commissioner Gunther Oettinger suggested the Regional Iniative and the European Regulators Group for Electricity & Gas target specific goals.

These would include natural gas market couplings by 2015, pilot tests of experimental procedures, identifying regional infrastructure priorities, and coordinating cross-border investment to secure supply and cope with gas crises.

Oettinger proposed geographic regions for gas be adapted by adding Italy to the South Region (France, Spain, Portugal) and by splitting the current South and Southeast regions into three new regions:

• Central-South region, including Italy, Austria, Slovakia, Slovenia, Hungary, Romania, Bulgaria, and Greece.

• Central-East region with Germany, Poland, Czech Republic, Slovakia, and Austria.

• A new Baltic region comprised of Sweden, Finland, Estonia, Latvia, Poland, Germany, and Denmark.

Regulators, transmission system operators, and other stakeholders may share their views with authorities through Feb. 15, 2011.