Poland Awards Contracts for LNG Expansion
Polish gas grid operator Gaz-System and its partners have awarded zlotys 1.9bn ($482mn) in contracts for the expansion of Poland's sole LNG import terminal in Swinoujscie to Austria's Porr and China's TGE Gas Engineering, it said on June 24.
The contracts, awarded by Gaz-System subsidiary Polskie LNG and the Szczecin and Swinoujscie seaports authority, cover design work, construction and commissioning of the project's onshore and offshore facilities, and the obtaining of required permits.
The Swinoujscie terminal has the capacity to bring ashore up to 5bn m3/yr of gas, but its capacity is due to reach 8.3bn m3/yr by the end of 2023. Its expanded capacity has been booked up by gas import monopoly PGNiG.
Polish energy infrastructure minister said the investment was "essential" for Poland to bolster its energy security and end reliance on Russian gas. The country is advancing a raft of new gas import projects, including a pipeline from Norway, a pipeline from Lithuania and potentially a second LNG terminal in Gdansk. Warsaw has declared it will not renew its supply contract with Russia's Gazprom, due to expire end-2022.