Media

PHIG.pl » Media » Spain provides the energy security of Europe. Gas pipeline project MIDCAT has gained the support of EU funding program for infrastructure

Spain provides the energy security of Europe. Gas pipeline project MIDCAT has gained the support of EU funding program for infrastructure

  • Fecha de evento 20 enero 2016
  • ·
  • Publicación 20 enero 2016
  • ·

 European Union member states agreed on a European Commission proposal to invest €217 million in key trans-European energy infrastructure projects, mainly in Central and South Eastern Europe.

 

In total, 15 projects were selected following a call for proposals under the Connecting Europe Facility (CEF), an EU funding program for infrastructure. The selected projects will increase energy security and help end the isolation of member states from EU-wide energy networks. They will also contribute to the completion of a European energy market and the integration of renewables into the electricity grid.

The European Commissioner for Climate Action and Energy Miguel Arias Cañete said: "Today, we are targeting those regions in Europe which need it the most. With this funding we will help secure supplies and fully integrate Europe's energy market by connecting networks across Europe. We must press ahead with the modernization of our energy networks to bring any country still isolated into the European energy market. Modern energy networks are also crucial to ensuring efficient use of our energy resources and therefore key to reaching our climate goals."


Funding will also be allocated to studies on the Midcat project which will help eliminate infrastructure bottlenecks between the Iberian Peninsula and France, and connect gas supplies from Algeria and Spanish LNG terminals with the rest of Europe.


This is an important development for the EU gas market as this will allow gas from the Caspian region and other potential sources, including LNG, to reach Central Europe.

The development of electricity infrastructure will also benefit from CEF financial assistance. This includes environmental and engineering design studies for the Germany-Denmark interconnection which will help supply Nordic electricity to Central Europe.

Of the 15 proposals selected for funding:

Nine are in the gas sector (financial aid worth €207 million) and six in electricity sector (€10 million);


Under the Connecting Europe Facility a total of €5.35 billion has been allocated to trans-European energy infrastructure for the period of 2014-2020.


Edited from an EU press release
Read more>>>

http://www.praguepost.com/eu-news/51597-eu-agrees-on-investments-in-energy-infrastructure


Spanish MIDCAT pipeline to replace 10% of Russian gas imports

Read more:

http://www.euractiv.com/section/energy/news/spanish-midcat-pipeline-to-replace-10-of-russian-gas-imports/