Brussels, 14/07/2015 (Agence Europe) - EU Member states agreed, on Tuesday 14 July, on the Commission proposal to allocate €150 million to key trans-European energy infrastructure projects, following a call for proposals under the Connecting Europe Facility (CEF). The bulk of the projects are in Central Eastern and South Eastern Europe, and also in the Baltic region.
Of the 20 proposals selected for funding, 17 relate to studies, such as environmental impact assessments (€30 million), and 3 to construction works (€120 million); and 11 are in the gas sector (financial aid worth €80 million) and 9 in the electricity sector (€70 million).
In the gas sector, the allocated grants will cover, inter alia, studies for the Chiren underground storage expansion project in Bulgaria and works on the interconnection between Poland and the Czech Republic. Funding will also be allocated to innovative studies on how to remove a major obstacle to the free flow of gas in the EU, namely the different practices of odorizing gas in the transmission system. This study will identify solutions to allow bidirectional flows on a major north-south pipeline in Germany.
In the electricity sector, the agreed list includes feasibility studies for the Celtic interconnector which will link France and Ireland by means of a long-distance subsea cable. The construction of a new 400 kV internal transmission line in Bulgaria will also benefit from financial assistance. This line is part of a cluster of four lines increasing the connectivity between Bulgaria and Greece. Support will also be given to the construction of the Lithuanian part of the Litpol Link, which will integrate the power system of Lithuania and of other Baltic States into the grid of continental Europe, thereby increasing the interconnection levels of both Poland and the Baltic States.
The Commission proposal to select these projects was supported by the CEF coordination committee, which consists of representatives from member states.
Under the CEF, a total of €5.35 billion has been allocated to trans-European energy infrastructure for the period of 2014-2020. To be eligible for a grant, proposals must relate to a project included in the list of projects of common interest (PCI). The first list was adopted by the European Commission in October 2013 and consists of 248 energy infrastructure projects which, when completed, will each ensure significant benefits for at least two member states, improve security of supply, contribute to integration and further competition of the market, as well as reduce CO2 emissions.
Under the first CEF-Energy call for proposals in 2014, 34 projects were granted €647 million of financial support. And under the first CEF-Energy 2015 call for proposals, 23 eligible proposals were received, requesting, in total, €216 million of financial support. Proposals that were not selected under the first call may apply for funding again under the second call for proposals, which was launched on 30 June with an indicative budget of €550 million. (Emmanuel Hagry)