Investments of 800 million euros for Greek natural gas distribution networks

The areas to which the natural gas distribution network will be extended include the development programs of the three distribution companies submitted to Regulatory Agency for Energy-RAE.

These relate to the five-year period 2023-2027 and are essentially their investment programs that they request to be approved by the Regulator.

Investments

The three gas distribution companies, EDA Attica, EDA THESS (Thessaloniki and Thessaly) and DEDA (Rest of Greece), together plan investments close to 800 million euros, 788 million euros to be exact.

RAE put the development programs on public consultation through its website.

In the periphery of the country, the distribution network is expanding to more and more regions, specifically in the regions of Eastern Macedonia – Thrace, Central and Western Macedonia, Central Greece, Western Greece, Epirus and Peloponnese.

In contrast to Attica, where EDA Attica has chosen to simply thicken the distribution network, where it has developed it, rather than expanding it to municipalities that either have a low level of gas penetration or do not even have a single meter of pipeline…

In Thessaloniki and Thessaly, EDA THESS is increasing the network in other areas of the municipalities of the specific regions.

Thessaloniki

For Thessaloniki, EDA THESS has planned an investment program of 136.6 million euros by 2027. Among other things, it includes projects to develop a 2,000 km distribution network with active customers exceeding 375,000 at the end of the five years.

Today there are 275,172active customers with 70,877 active connections. In 2027, distributed gas quantities will increase to 4.3 million MWh from 3.5 million MWh today.

Today EDA THESS has a network in all 14 Kallikratιs municipalities.

Plans by 2027:

· The connection of Liti (distribution network), Drymos (distribution network) and Melissochori (distribution network) of the Municipality of Oreokastro in the year 2023, as in the approved Development Program 2021-2030 of natural gas transmission system operator DESFA  it is reported that the Date of Integration into the System of the Metering/Regulatory Station at the entrance to the city in the area of Drimos, is foreseen in April 2023, with which the interconnection with the Distribution Network will be made.

· The connection of the areas of Pentalofos and Neohorouda (distribution network) of the Municipality of Oreokastro in the year 2023, in accordance with the approved Development Program 2021-2025.

Furthermore, in the year 2023 the connection (distribution network) of the areas of Kato Gefyra of the Municipality of Chalkidonos, Asprovalta, Vrasne and Ano Stavros of the Municipality of Volvi, as well as Nea Kerasia of the Municipality of Thermaikos is planned.

· In the year 2024, the connection of the Lagadas (distribution network) of the Municipality of Lagadas and the areas of Sohos and Zagliveri of the Municipality of Lagadas through LNG Gasification Stations is foreseen.

· The connection of Heraklion, Kavalari and Perivolaki (distribution network) of Lagada Municipality is foreseen in the year 2025.

· The connection of the Kolchikos (distribution network) of the Municipality of Lagadas is foreseen in the year 2026.

· Assiro (distribution network) of the Municipality of Lagadas is planned to be connected in the year 2027.

Thessaly

The gas distribution network of EDA THESS in Thessaly has today reached 18 municipalities.

And the distributed quantities of gas in the 1,270 km network are 2.2 million MWh. In five years the network will reach 1,700 km and the gas quantities will reach 3.3 million MWh.

EDA THESS aims until 2027 to expand the gas distribution network to all 25 Kallikratis municipalities of the Region of Thessaly. Its investment program amounts to 113.9 million euros.

Active customers in 2027 will exceed 170,000 from 118,512 today (48,438 active connections). For 2027, 56,700 customers will be added and active connections will reach 60,939.

With the connection of the Municipalities of South Pelion, Zagora-Muresi and Limni Plastira in 2026, and the Municipalities of Skiathos (2025), Skopelos (2026), Alonissos and Argithea in 2027 respectively, all 25 Kallikratiki Municipalities of the Thessaly Region will have been supplied from EDA THESS Distribution Network.

Specifically:

· In the year 2023, the connection of Melissochori and Halki of the Municipality of Kileler, Anakasia and Melissatika of the Municipality of Volos as well as Moscholourio of the Municipality of Sofados is planned (distribution network)

· In the year 2024, the connection of Platykampos and Galini of the Municipality of Kileler, Ossis and Pournarios of the Municipality of Tempo, Bryotopos of the Municipality of Tyrnavos, Artesianos of the Municipality of Karditsa, Kato Lechonia of the Municipality of Volos, Agios Georgios Feron of Municipality of Riga Feraio and Paleomonastir of the Municipality of Pyli (distribution network)

· In the year 2025, the connection of Tsaritsani of the Municipality of Elassona, Mavromati of the Municipality of Mouzaki, Ano Lechonia and Alli Meria of the Municipality of Volos and Chloe of the Municipality of Rigas Fereos is planned (distribution network), as well as Makrychori of the Municipality of Tempi, Oichalia of the Municipality of Farkadona and Skiathos of the Municipality of Skiathos through new LNG Gasification Stations.

· In the year 2026, the connection of Kalyvia-Pezoula of the Municipality of Limni Plastira, Zagora of the Municipality of Zagora-Mouresi, Argalasti of the Municipality of South Pelion, Elati of the Municipality of Pyli, as well as Skopelos of the Municipality of Skopelos through new LNG Gasification Stations is planned . In addition, in the year 2026 the areas of Megalo Kefalovryssos of the Municipality of Trikkaia and Vasiliki of the Municipality of Meteora will be connected (distribution network)

· In the year 2027, Patitiri of the Municipality of Alonissos and Anthiro of the Municipality of Argithea are planned to be connected through new LNG Gasification Stations. In addition, Kefalovryso of the Municipality of Trikkaia and Krokio of the Municipality of Almyros are planned to be connected (distribution network).

Rest of Greece

DEDA has the largest investment plan.

The company that operates in Eastern Macedonia and Thrace, Central and Western Macedonia, Epirus, Western Greece and Peloponnese intends to invest 378.282 million euros by 2027 in order to reach the number of customers to 103,127. Until the same period of time in its planning is the development of over 2,600 km of medium and low pressure gas distribution network. The distributed quantities of gas are estimated to reach 4.7 million MWh in five years to households and businesses.

According to the development program, 24 new municipalities and 43 new municipal units will join the active networks

Also in the new proposed projects of DEDA are:

· Development and strengthening of the gas distribution network in Central Macedonia, specifically in Alexandria – Veria – Giannitsa

· Development of a gas distribution network in Central Greece, specifically in Stylida – Karavomylos – Achinos Pelasgia

· Investigating the development of new distribution networks in island regions, specifically in Lesbos, Chios, Samos, Rhodes, Chania, Rethymnon, Heraklion Lasithi

· The pilot project “Hydrogen Village” and

· New networks using renewable gas fuels – biomethane

Today DEDA’s network amounts to 760 km (low and medium pressure) and its contracts list 2,412 customers

Attica

Without particular expansions and not even including investments in renewable gas fuels, EDA Attica submitted a distribution network development program with the main objective of its densification.

The investments it proposes amount to 159.59 million euros by 2027 and the goal is for active contracts to rise to 277,419 from 103,176 today.

The number of customers will increase, as EDA Attica estimates, to 531,939 from 430,147 today. 500,000 meters of low and medium pressure network development projects are planned. The quantities of gas to be distributed are estimated at 5.79 million MWh.