New European gas pipeline on stream
15 Jan 2013
Primda, Czech Republic – The GAZELLE gas pipeline has been officially commissioned in Primda, Czech Republic: opening up a “new northern route” for the transportation of natural gas to western Europe.
Construction of the pipeline is of major strategic importance for both the Czech Republic and for Europe as a whole, according to a statement from project participant RWE AG.
According to RWE, GAZELLE is a further step in the diversification of gas sources and ensuring a greater security of supply for the Czech Republic and the EU as a whole.
In Brandov, northern Bohemia, the pipeline connects with the NORD STREAM (Baltic) and the OPAL pipelines (German territory); it is also connected with the MEGAL long-distance gas network, which supplies southern Germany and France, at the Rozvadov-Waidhaus border station by way of the Primda distribution hub.
The pipeline is connected with the Czech Republic’s existing long-distance gas network at Brandov, Jirkov, Svinomazy and Primda.
Construction of the new 166-km pipeline began in October 2010 when the foundation stone for the Brandov station was laid. The pipeline has a lengths of 166km. It is a purely private investment project by NET4GAS, costing CZK10 billion.
