France outlines details of gas market liberalization

France's Regulatory Commission for Electricity says there is a need for more comparability between Gaz de France(GdF) and third parties on natural gas tariffs to establish better access for competition.

Dec. 11, 2002

By an OGJ Correspondent

PARIS, Dec. 11 -- France's Regulatory Commission for Electricity has said that there is a need for more comparability between Gaz de France(GdF) and third parties on natural gas tariffs to establish better access for competition.

The commission, in charge of the gas liberalization effort, also called for broadening supply points into France by building new LNG terminals in southern France and by increasing France's interconnections with Spain.

The more competitive access to France's gas network applies to TotalFinaElf SA, which has its own natural gas network, as well as to GdF.

Jean Syrota, commission president, said currently nine industrial users with 16 sites have switched from GdF as their gas supplier. This represents 25% of the volumes that are already open to free market competition in the first phase of liberalization.