Important information to Fluxys TENP capacity offer

As published by the transmission system operators of the TENP (Trans Europa Naturgas Pipeline) pipeline System, Open Grid Europe GmbH (OGE) and Fluxys TENP GmbH (Fluxys TENP) on 27th September 2017, extensive inspections on TENP I (Trans Europa Naturgas Pipeline), one of the two natural gas transmission pipelines of the dual gas transmission system from Bocholtz (on the German/Dutch border) to Wallbach (on the German/Swiss border), have revealed corrosion defects.

Actual TENP I situation

The TENP I natural gas transmission pipeline was built in the 1970s. Along the pipeline section from the Eifel to Wallbach the welded joints were coated with a material for protection against corrosion. Based on the current findings, the protection seems to have been insufficiently applied. Over the years, it has partially disbonded from the pipe. In view of these findings and following consultation of the independent technical expert, the TENP I pipeline section affected has been temporarily shut down.

In close cooperation with the adjacent transmission system operators, among others in Switzerland, some measures have been identified and agreed, in order to increase the available capacities for the period 01.10.2018 until 30.09.2019.

Consequently for the above mentioned period, Fluxys TENP will be able to offer a firm capacity of ca. 8.6 à 9.3 million kWh/h at exit Wallbach.

Based on the information currently available, the inspections alongside the TENP I natural gas transmission pipeline will continue until 30th September 2020 (see maintenance measure No. 21019101). Since the final inspection results are not yet available and since it cannot be excluded that the ongoing maintenance would need to be prolonged, OGE and Fluxys TENP, as prudent operators will commercialise as from 01.10.2019 only the capacity at entry Bocholtz and exit Wallbach that can be ensured, taking into account a prolonged out of operations of TENP I.

At the side of Fluxys TENP, a capacity of ca. 13 million kWh/h will be available at entry Bocholtz and ca. 9 million kWh/h at exit Wallbach from 01.10.2019 on. Security of supply being the first priority, OGE and Fluxys TENP are also deeply involved in the calculation of a security of supply scenario for the natural gas supply of the regions supplied by the TENP, in the framework of the German Ten-Year Development Plan for gas 2018-2028. This scenario considers the case whereby the current capacity situation alongside the TENP would need to be persistently prolonged after the 30th September 2020. In close cooperation with the German transmission system operators supplying or connecting the Baden-Württemberg region and other transmission system operators, OGE and Fluxys TENP will analyse the different technical solutions ensuring the sustainable natural gas supply of this region. The results of these analyses will be known with the publication and the submission of the scenarios to the BundesnetzAgentur on 2nd July 2018.

Re-allocation of unsold capacities

At present, it is not legally clear whether Fluxys TENP GmbH is obliged to re-allocate exit capacities from the exit point Wallbach to network connection points within the market area NetConnect Germany in case such exit capacities remain unsold in the medium and long term capacity auctions. Therefore, as a precautionary measure, Fluxys TENP GmbH hereby informs the network users that, under the above conditions, a respective re-allocation of exit capacities may occur.