Energy, Gas, Legislation, Lithuania

The National Commission for Energy Control and Prices on Thursday is likely to set the supply security component of the gas tariff at 487.38 euros per megawatt-hours (MWh) per day annually, up by 7.3% from 454.25 euros per MWh in the second half of 2017.

The energy market regulator last month set the supply security component at 578.01 euros per MWh, but revised it after the government approved an electricity system reserve need of 212 MW. The reserve will be ensured by the LNG-fueled seventh and eighth units of Lietuvos Elektrine (Lithuanian Power Plant) under public service obligations.

The Energy Ministry said in late November that the supply security component would likely increase by 12% in January.

The fertilizer manufacturer Achema, the largest single gas consumer in Lithuania, pays the largest share of the LNG terminal maintenance costs, amounting to almost 20 million euros this year.

Gintaras Balciunas, deputy chairman of the management board at Achemos Grupe (Achema Group), told BNS in late November that Achema planned to contest the market regulator's decision to increase the supply security charge.

All gas consumers should pay a total of around 88.5 million euros in the LNG supply security charge this year, including the money going to the LNG supplier Litgas.