Ukraine Leads in Implementing EU Gas Data Rules: EC

Ukraine is leading the way among Energy Community members in implementing gas network rules on data exchange and publication, the Community's Secretariat said in a report published on May 26.

The Energy Community seeks to transpose EU energy standards to countries aspiring to join the bloc. Its report looked at 20 interconnection points operated by non-EU contracting parties Ukraine, Serbia, Moldova, Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Kosovo, Montenegro, North Macedonia and Georgia. Albania, Kosovo and Montenegro do not have gas markets and EU cross-border gas rules do not apply to Georgia as it does not share borders with EU members.

Interconnection agreements already cover 14 of the points, which is twice the number in March 2019. Ukraine's gas grid operator GTSOU has signed deals covering seven of the points in the past year, at its borders with Slovakia, Poland and Moldova. However, it still needs to finalise interconnection agreements with Romanian counterpart Transgaz concerning the Isaccea (Import), Isaccea-2, Isaccea-3 and Tekovo-Mediesu Aurit border points.

Agreements are also needed to cover the Ungheni point between Moldova and Romania and the Zdilovo-Kuystendil point between North Macedonia and Bulgaria. Some non-EU contracting members are yet to fully transpose the bloc's network code on interoperability and data exchange, and their regulators need to take responsibility over supervising implementation.

All GTSOU's interconnection agreements ensure "controllable, accurate, predictable and efficient" gas flows across border points, the Secretariat said. They include rules for transporting gas across points and minimising deviations from the matching process, and ones that cover gas quantity and quality. Serbia's Srbijagas, however, still needs to agree on data exchange and matching rules with neighbouring operators.

Compliance with rules on data exchange and publication is also low for all operators surveyed save GTSOU. The Secretariat said this was because operators had failed to adequately consult with network users on data exchange solutions, and because solutions selected had not been approved by national regulators.

The process of informing network users about short-term gas quality variations and short-term quality monitoring also needs improving, the Secretariat said.