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Utilities will soon be asked by Brussels to apply for funding from the European Union 2012 trans-European energy network (TENs) spending programme that funds new electricity and gas infrastructure linking different countries. A formal call for proposals will be issued by the end of February.
The European Commission has released details of this year’s Euro €21.1 million funding, a pot that could potentially be increased by 20 per cent if spare money is found by officials. In its list of priorities for 2012 TENs energy spending, the Commission stressed the need to improve interoperability between EU gas and power networks and those of neighbouring countries to the east, in the Mediterranean and Black Sea regions.
For gas projects, 2012 TENs spending could go even further afield, funding pipeline and shipping schemes in the Caspian Sea and Gulf regions. Funded projects for natural gas must achieve one of the following aims: increase underground gas storage; boost LNG reception, storage and re-gasification services; build high pressure gas pipelines to increase availability of gas to poorly served areas; or improve the flexibility of gas networks particularly by allowing flow directions to be switched.
EU TENs aid cannot fund more than 50% of the cost of relevant studies and 10 per cent of construction.
By Keith Nuthall
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