Croatia's gas transportation system operator Plinacro and the Hungarian gas transportation operator on Wednesday transported the first quantities of natural gas via a newly-built interconnection gas pipeline.
After 33 years of importing gas via a Croatian-Slovenian interconnection, the sole international interconnection pipeline until today, Plinacro imported gas via the new supply route, the company said.
The Croatian-Hungarian interconnection has ensured additional gas import capacity and enabled source diversification, as well as possible gas exports to other countries, depending on the implementation of other strategic projects, Plinacro said.
The agreement on the construction of the interconnection gas pipeline Slobodnica-Donji Miholjac-Dravaszerdahely-Bata-Városfold was signed in 2009 and the pipeline was to be put into operation in mid-2011.
The Croatian section of the gas pipeline is 80.5 kilometres long and the Hungarian 210 kilometres.
The entire gas pipeline cost 395 million euros, of which the Croatian section cost 75 million.
Croatia can use the new interconnection pipeline and its storage facilities to connect to possible major international gas transportation projects, Plinacro said.
After a liquefied natural gas terminal is built in Croatia, the interconnection pipeline will make it possible for Hungary and the European Union to also import gas from Croatia, which is why the European Commission has included this interconnection pipeline in strategically important energy projects, Plinacro said.