Gas interconnector Poland - Lithuania: works in progress

The Lithuanian natural gas transmission system operator (TSO), Amber Grid, and its Polish counterpart, GAZ-SYSTEM, are currently constructing the Gas Interconnector Poland - Lithuania (GIPL) that will connect the gas transmission systems of both countries. The GIPL project, supported by the EU through the Connecting Europe Facility (CEF) Energy with more than €276 million, will integrate the gas systems of the Baltic Sea region into the internal EU gas markets in line with the EC's energy security strategy. The construction of GIPL started at the beginning of 2020 and works are progressing well.

In Lithuania, more than 50% of the pipeline construction works were achieved in autumn. In summer 2020, the interconnecting pipeline was laid down under the two widest rivers in Lithuania, using the environmentally friendly horizontal directional drilling (HDD) technology. After testing the pipeline at maximum pressure and installing the starting point of the pipeline, the first part of GIPL was connected to the operating gas transmission system and filled with gas. It is expected that 60% of construction works of the Lithuanian part of GIPL will be completed by the end of 2020.

In Poland, the construction of the gas pipeline is divided into two sections (northern and southern) and works are ongoing to build the northern section (approx. 185 km long). In addition, the two TSOs launched in November 2020 a non-binding survey procedure for development of services for new transmission capacity in GIPL.

The project

GIPL is the first gas pipeline connecting Lithuania and Poland and the first gas interconnector between the Eastern Baltic Sea region and Continental Europe. It consists of a 700 millimetres diameter pipeline with a total length of approx. 508 kilometres, including 343 km in Poland and 165 km in Lithuania, as well as supporting infrastructure in both countries (including a gas pressure reduction and metering station in Lithuania and a new compressor station in Poland). The project has the status of an EU Project of Common Interest (PCI) for its role in ensuring energy supply security in the region. GIPL obtained co-financing under CEF in the form of a grant for studies (€10 million) and a grant for works (€266 million). The total construction costs of the project are €558 million and the new gas infrastructure is expected to be operational in 2022.

GIPL will bring socio-economic benefits to the three Baltic States and Finland. It will contribute to ending their gas isolation, further diversify gas sources and routes, and increase their security of gas supply.

More information

CEF Energy

Projects of common interest

Project information (Project promoter websites - Amber Grid and GAZ-SYSTEM)