Enagás strengthens its commitment to the Basque Country, where it has invested around €500mn since 2007 and has earmarked €207mn for investment over the coming years
The Chairman of Enagás, Antonio Llardén, today paid a visit to the Basque regional premier, Iñigo Urkullu. During their meeting, Llardén stressed the company's long-term commitment to the Basque Country, where it has invested in the region of €590mn since 2007.
The Chairman of Enagás described the Basque Country as “a key strategic enclave for energy, with key gas infrastructure not just for the country but for the European Union as a whole.”
From left to right: Basque Country Economic Development and Competitivines Minister, Arantza Tapia, Enagás Chairman, Antonio Llardén, and head of the Basque government, Iñigo Urkullu.
He highlighted that the company is working on the development of the Euskadour compressor station, which will enable Irún's connection capacity with France to be increased from 0.2 bcm at present to 2.1 bcm in 2016.
“Conflicts such as the one between Russia and Ukraine have once again underlined the importance of having secure energy systems,” stated Llardén.
“By strengthening international connections such as Irún, the Iberian Peninsula, which has a highly diversified supply system with direct connections with producer countries, can play a key role in bolstering Europe's energy supply.”
BBG Regasification Plant
Llardén announced that the third LNG storage tank at the BBG regasification plant in Bilbao will start operating in the final quarter of 2014.
The terminal will then also be better equipped to load tankers at a faster speed.
The performance of this type of operation, which has increased exponentially in recent years, enables the company to leverage infrastructure such as the BBG plant and to position the country as a destination for LNG.
“With such services, the Bilbao terminal can be used not only by Spain and Europe but by any country in the world,” stated Antonio Llardén.
Gas pipelines
Among the company's most recent projects, the Chairman of the company recalled the official inauguration in April of the 53-km Bilbao-Treto gas pipeline, which connects the Bilbao plant with Cantabria and strengthens the supply of natural gas to northern Spain. He also mentioned the planned doubling of the Bermeo-Lemona gas pipeline and the splitting of the Arrigorriaga-Lemona loop.
Enagás has earmarked some €207mn for investment in the Basque Country over the coming years.
The company, which completed the acquisition of 90% of Naturgas Energía Transporte in 2013, has around 500 km of high-pressure gas pipelines, the Gaviota strategic storage facility and the Irún international connection in the Basque Country, where it is also a majority shareholder in the BBG regasification plant in Bilbao.
It is also actively involved in the development of the Iberian Gas Hub, which will help to establish the Basque Country as a strategic point in the European gas market.
