Looser gas reduction

The 5th and 6th stages of reduction and suspension of gas supply are being abolished and the 4th stage is being introduced, the Ministry of Economy, Labour and Entrepreneurship reported today. This implies the resumption of gas supply to all customers on the distribution system who must continue to adhere to the instructions of the transport and distribution system operators, the Ministry states.

"Considering that the emergency import will continue, that the gas system has stabilized and that average temperatures above zero degrees Celsius are forecasted for this week, which will further affect the reduction of gas consumption, the Ministry of Economy, Labour and Entrepreneurship has proposed to the Government of the Republic of Croatia a reduction in gas reduction," the Ministry’s statement reads. Thus, the 5th and 6th stages of reduction and suspension of gas supply are abolished and the 4th stage is introduced.

This implies the resumption of gas supply to all customers on the distribution system who must continue to adhere to the instructions of the transport and distribution system operators, the Ministry states. They also present the order in which the reconnection of consumers to the distribution system will be carried out – general industry, followed by offices, business facilities, service, entertainment and similar facilities, and commercial facilities, and finally gas customers who have alternative energy sources.

"The gas supplier for the Republic of Croatia, INA, will continue to ensure emergency gas imports, the transport system operator Plinacro will carry out all activities related to the implementation of the 4th stage of consumption reduction (monitoring and reporting)," the Ministry’s statement reads, which once again calls on all natural gas consumers to use gas rationally. They also emphasize that, despite the fact that the import of gas from the Russian Federation has been interrupted for the thirteenth day and that over 41 million cubic meters of gas have not been delivered so far, the Croatian gas system remains stable, thanks to the measures that have been taken.

The measures that have been taken, which include maximizing production from domestic sources, declaring the 5th and 6th stages of reduction and suspension of supply, and importing emergency quantities of gas from Western European countries, which reached 11.5 million cubic meters of gas by this morning, have enabled the Croatian gas system to stabilize and that at no point was the supply of gas to protected customers in question, the Ministry reminds. Otherwise, the measures of the 5th and 6th stages from the Regulation on the Security of Natural Gas Supply were introduced on Saturday, January 10, and the 5th stage implies the suspension of gas supply to all customers directly connected to the transport system, except for HEP, while the 6th stage provides for the suspension of supplies to all customers connected to the distribution system, except for protected customers. In implementing these measures, care was taken to ensure that companies that would suffer damage to their facilities due to the non-delivery of gas remain at a technological minimum.

According to the Regulation, the 4th stage means a reduction in supply to customers directly connected to the transport system, HEP, to 12,000 cubic meters per hour, or a quantity sufficient for the supply needs of protected customers with thermal energy, as well as to Kutina’s Petrokemija (which is under maintenance in January) to the minimum quantities necessary to preserve the technical characteristics of the facilities and the reduction of natural gas supplies to customers connected to the distribution system, except for protected customers, the MINGORP statement reads.