I. BACKGROUND
Bulgartransgaz EAD – the Bulgarian gas transmission system operator (TSO) and DESFA - the Greek gas transmission system operator, to facilitate the cross-border trade and the maximum use of the capacity of the interconnected gas transmission networks intend to introduce at IP Kulata/Sidirokastro the service “non-physical reverse transport of natural gas on commercial basis” (backhaul).
To that end the two neighbouring TSOs prepared and will soon sign an Interconnection Agreement (the Agreement) at the IP Kulata/Sidirokastro with a validity term from 1 July, 2016 to 1 October, 2016.
During this initial test period the Business Rules set in the Agreement including the nomination, re-nomination, matching of nomination and the drafting of protocols on the natural gas quantities transported in both directions at the IP Kulata/Sidirokastro – in the direction to Greece and to Bulgaria will apply.
The Business Rules, part of the Agreement are available here
Following the end of the test period Bulgartransgaz EAD and DESFA intend to sign a Final IA in effect as of 1 October 2016 thus introducing in practice the requirements of Regulation (EU) No. 312/2014 establishing a Network Code on Gas Balancing of Transmission Networks and Regulation (EU) 703/2015 establishing a network code on interoperability and data exchange rules at the IP Kulata/Sidirokastro.
In this regard Bulgartransgaz EAD announces a procedure on the allocation of non-physical interruptible capacity in Greece-Bulgaria direction and on the allocation of physical interruptible capacity in Bulgaria-Greece direction at IP Kulata/Sidirokastro.
II. DEADLINE AND PROCEDURE FOR SUBMITTING THE APPLICATIONS FOR ACCESS
The deadline for submission of applications for access is by 5:00 pm local time on 28 June 2016 – for a quarterly product (1 July - 1 October) and a monthly product (1 July – 1 August).
An application for access can be submitted by any legal entity registered in Bulgaria or on the territory of any EU member state who meets the requirements for access to Bulgartransgaz EAD gas transmission networks.
Information on the capacity products offered, subject to allocation.
|
Capacity products for the period 1.07-30.09.2016 |
|
|
Nomination by date (incl.) |
Capacity product |
|
28 June 2016 |
III quarter |
|
28 June 2016 |
July 2016 |
|
18 July 2016 |
August 2016 |
|
16 August 2016 |
September 2016 |
Information on the available interruptible capacity at IP Kulata/Sidirokastro is available here
The application shall be submitted in line with the standard form published on Bulgartransgaz EAD website available here
The application shall be filled in by the applicant and signed by the person representing the applicant.
The application together with the Annexes thereto shall be submitted within the above deadline on electronic media (in pdf format) at info@bulgartransgaz.bg and on paper at Bulgartransgaz EAD registry office to the following address:
1336 Sofia, Bulgaria
66 Pancho Vladigerov Blvd.
The following documents and evidence must be attached to the application:
1. An excerpt from the Trade Register in the applicant’s country certifying the actual legal state of the applicant as of the date of application submission. If the applicant submits a copy of the document, it must be initialled on each page by the person representing the company of the participant in line with the Trade Register excerpt;
2. A free text declaration on the absence of circumstances under art.2, para.2 of the Rules – in original, signed by the person representing the applicant in line with the Trade Register excerpt, namely: reading that the applicant has no money obligation related to social security or fiscal contributions in line with the legal provisions in the country of their incorporation; that they are not in liquidation or insolvency proceedings and they are not in bankrupt;
3. The documents in line with the requirements of art.4, para.4 of the Rules certifying the natural gas quantities secured by the applicant at the nominated entry point/points – if the applicant has such documents at the time of submitting the application.
Such documents could be:
- A copy of a signed valid contract on the supply of the nominated natural gas quantities with place of delivery – the entry point/points as per the application, or
- A copy of a signed transport contract with a neighbouring TSO or documents certifying the secured/booked transmission capacity through the transmission network of the neighbouring TSO up to the nominated entry point/points for the time period and quantities of gas as per the nominated ones, or
4. Information under item 3 shall be submitted no later than the date of effective implementation of the nominations for transport under a signed transport contract for the respective entry point/points.
Any information in the copies submitted which the participant considers a commercial secret is to be blackened out. The copies submitted shall demonstrate the following:
- Counterparty’s name under the contract;
- Contract term of validity and natural gas quantity for supply/transport in line with these as per the application;
- The documents shall certify the supply schedule up to the entry point/points of the natural gas quantity for 2016 which shall be in line with the quantity and the deadline of the nominated for transmission natural gas quantities at the entry point/points of the gas transmission network.
The copy of the contract/contracts shall be initialled on each page by the person representing the applicant in line with the Trade Register excerpt.
The application and the annexes thereto shall be signed on each page by the person authorized to represent the applicant or by any person expressly authorized thereby, and in this case a Power of Attorney shall be submitted in original with a notary certified signature.
The capacity at each point (by acceptance/hand-over point) shall be nominated in energy units (MWh/d and volume metric units (m3/d) per day and shall be allocated on daily basis for the periods in line with the capacity products as per the application for access.
The applications will be examined in line with the requirements of the Rules on access to the gas transmission and/or gas distribution networks and access to natural gas storage facilities, approved with a Decision No. P-1 of 14 March, 2013 of the State Energy and Water Regulatory Commission.
The rules are available here
In line with these Rules, the applicable allocation method for the available capacity is pro-rata to the submitted nominations in case the available capacity is not sufficient to cover all of the received applications for capacity.
A standard form of the harmonized contract for interruptible services at IP Kulata/Sidirocastro is available here