In October last year, KN (AB Klaipėdos nafta), oil and liquefied natural gas (LNG) terminal operator, launched the test operation of the LNG distribution facility – another object ensuring energy independence of Lithuania, through which the supplied natural gas reaches and totally supplies the municipality of Druskininkai. A LNG supply chain developed in cooperation with LNG supplier UAB Lietuvos dujų tiekimas and electricity and gas distribution company Energijos skirstymo operatorius (ESO) eliminated the energy exclusion of this resort.
As of December last year, the city has been totally provided with natural gas, which comes not from the Belarusian pipe previously being the only route of natural gas to Druskininkai, but through the LNG regasification facility bringing the LNG in tank trucks from Klaipėda.
A total of 214 thousand kWh of natural gas, which is gasified when cold and liquid and transformed into its ordinary gas form in a special gasification facility, was supplied to Druskininkai during the first month alone (from 1 December 2017 to 1 January 2018). It is planned to supply about 660 thousand kWh of natural gas within the first quarter of this year.
There is a temporary LNG facility operating in Druskininkai, which was first filled with gas on 1 December last year. A permanent Druskininkai facility will be installed and will launch its operation in October 2018. LNG is also supplied for heating needs of Druskininkai, and this is the competence of heat suppliers operating their own LNG regasification facility.
“Since 2014, when the LNG terminal in Klaipėda launched its activities, Lithuania saw a fundamentally different attitude towards energy resources emerging and assuming that energy resources are acquired for market prices, the supply is performed on a constant basis and there are no perils for it to be interrupted due to political factors or conditions imposed by a monopoly supplier. Today we can be sure that we are full members of the global LNG market, who, as citizens of any other independent state, have the right to energy security. Gas has already been brought to Lithuania from four states. Together with LNG suppliers, we are glad that Druskininkai has become part of this energy security,” says KN CEO Mindaugas Jusius.
“Such inclusion of Druskininkai into the Lithuanian system of natural gas and gas supply from Lithuania has required different competencies from our group. We have connected the temporary LNG regasification facility and we are planning to install a stationary LNG regasification facility. We have developed an efficient and competitive logistic chain of low volume onshore LNG supply. We see LNG as one of the directions for our development since the growing oil prices make LNG an attractive alternative for industrial objects and settlements remote from the pipeline. Supply of LNG to Druskininkai is our first project we have been successfully implementing as the infrastructure operator and as the suppliers. And residents of Druskininkai may now give a sigh of relief and enjoy the results of the competition as well as to pay adequate price for natural gas,” claims Dominykas Tučkus, Member of the Board and Director for Production and Services of Lietuvos energija.
