Slovakia is now connected with Poland by a new pipeline, which will ensure greater diversity of gas supplies within Europe. This step is also another contribution to increasing energy security.

According to Eduard Heger, the Slovak Prime Minister, the capacity of the new pipeline should be sufficient for Slovakia for about a year. This means that it is an equivalent option to obtaining this raw material from Russia.

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The completed construction has brought considerable benefits to both involved countries. Slovakia, along with other Eastern and Central European countries, will be connected to LNG terminals in the Polish town of Świnoujście and the Lithuanian town of Klajpeda. On the other hand, thanks to the new gas pipeline, the Polish side will have access to gas from southern Europe, but also from North Africa or the Caucasus.

The project was supported continuously by the private and state shareholder. Eustream, a semi-state company, provides gas transport in Slovakia. The construction also benefitted from EU funds.

The gas pipeline is approximately 164 km long. In Poland, there are 60 km of the pipeline route, which runs between Strachocina and the Łupkowska Pass. On the Slovak side, the gas pipeline is approximately 105 km long. The project started in 2018 and was originally supposed to be completed at the end of last year. The gas pipeline connecting Poland and Slovakia runs from Poland to Slovak and vice versa. Poland is connected to the Slovak compressor station in Veľké Kapušany, the point where the gas pipeline from Ukraine to Western Europe already passes through.

The capacity of the gas pipeline in the Poland-Slovakia direction is 5.1 bcm of gas per year, and in the Slovakia-Poland direction it is capable of transporting 6.1 bcm of gas per year. This quantity was calculated at 20 °C, while the amount of gas transported varies depending on the temperature of the raw material. The pipe diameter is DN 1000 and as a material the L485ME steel was used.

Slovakia was previously mainly dependent on Russian gas. After the Russian-Ukrainian war started, Bratislava changed its plans and began to urgently address the strategic reduction of its dependence on Russia. According to Eustream, commercial operation of the new gas pipeline should start this October, which is excellent timing in view of the upcoming heating season.