Minister of Economic Affairs and Infrastructure Riina Sikkut says that there is no option but to adapt in a situation where Russia continues to use gas as an economic weapon. “Going into winter, we need reassurance that we are capable of guaranteeing that we have enough natural gas for the entire heating period, which is why private companies and Elering are currently working together to establish reception capacity in Paldiski,” she explained. “Doing so comes with its own risks, so we are contributing at the state level to ensure that the necessary investments can be made as quickly as possible.”
Increasing ESPA’s share capital will grant the agency the financial assurance it needs to find a solution for entering into a contract with the consortium involved in the construction of the quay necessary for the reception of liquid natural gas (LNG) in Paldiski and for guaranteeing the completion by the end of the year of the infrastructure required for the servicing of the LNG floating terminal.
Ando Leppiman, the chairman of the management board of ESPA, says that the availability of reception capacity for LNG is strategically important for the energy security of the state in any event, since it will help to ensure security of supply for all Estonian residents and companies for a number of years.
In addition to increasing ESPA’s share capital, the government also decided to extend the deadline for the acquisition of gas for the state until the end of the year, with the aim being to acquire up to 1 TWh of gas. The final amount will depend on market developments in the second half of the year. For the moment it is clear that as an exception, Latvia will enable gas to be stored in its underground reservoir until the end of the year and that transmission capacity has become available in the connection between Latvia and Lithuania for the supply of LNG from Klaipeda.
