Baltic States – CIS, Energy, Estonia, Gas, Legislation, Lithuania

Haupas currently supplies gas only to Druskininkai, which needs less than 1 million cubic meters (mcm) annually.

Donatas Motiejunas, the company's deputy director, told BNS that they would sell gas to Estonian companies, but declined to name them.

"I think we will sell some quantities to Estonia, because we have some contracts in place. We do not plan to sell more gas in Lithuania, because we think that our price is uncompetitive, at least for now, due to a high discount applied by Lietuvos Duju Tiekimas (Lithuanian Gas Supply)," he said.

Motiejunas would not disclose what Estonian companies Haupas had contracts with, citing competition for new customers among Lithuanian companies as the reason.

Gazprom has announced that the auction will be held on Mar. 15, 16 and 17, with Mar. 8 set as a deadline for submitting prequalification applications. Up to 560.6 mcm of gas will be offered, of which up to 476.6 mcm will be destined for Lithuania.

Twenty lots of 57,700 cubic meters of gas per day each will be offered for the second quarter (106 mcm in total), another 20 lots for the third quarter, and 50 lots for the fourth quarter (around 265 mcm).