The European Commission approved the aid for increase of gas storage facilities in Poland
On 23 June, EC decided to give grant aid amounting €390 mln for construction and increase capacity of the underground gas storage facilities in Poland.
In November 2009, Poland submitted to the EC its intension to give the aid for four projects. Poland wants to subsidize three projects of increasing the capacity underground storage facilities ( in Strachocin, Wierzchowice and Mogilno) and one project of creation new gas storage facility in Kosakowo, on the Baltic coast. All four projects will be executed by company PGNiG S.A. The investments are expected to be finished by 2015. Thanks to these projects capacity of gas storages will rise up from 1,6 bcm to 2,6 bcm.
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According to the Polish Operational Programme (2007-2013) all the projects qualify for financing by EU. The creation and increasing gas storage facilities are elements of Polish and EU policy of ensuring the security of gas supply. Nowadays, 21 Member States use gas storage to ensure security of supplies.