Did you know?
The French energy code specifies the public service obligations allocated to the various players in the natural gas sector. These obligations are supplemented by the provisions of the public energy plan (Programmation pluriannuelle de l’énergie, or PPE) and extended by the public service contract signed by GRTgaz and the state. Among them are security of supply, to which GRTgaz contributes, and continuity of transmission, which GRTgaz has to guarantee. Further obligations relate to the network’s security and energy efficiency and the use of biomethane.
Interview with Philippe Madiec, director of strategy and regulation at GRTgaz
Faced with the energy crisis associated with the war in Ukraine, how has GRTgaz responded to the supply crisis?
“We have had to adapt our network to change our north-south gas flows into east-west flows, partly to enable European solidarity by sending gas directly to Germany. This technical adaptation, in collaboration with German transmission operators (OGE and GRTgaz Deutschland), was made possible by the capacity and flexibility of our network, which we have transformed over more than 10 years (from a network of “main roads” to a network of “interconnected motorways” at a European scale).
In response to this gas supply crisis, we have also taken part at very short notice in the project to connect up an FSRU (Floating Storage and Regasification Unit). This project, backed by the public authorities, involves setting up a new LNG import point on the French coast at the port of Le Havre using a floating regasification unit, so that the installation is reversible. The vessel will enter service in late September 2023 for a period of five years.
Finally, the crisis has led us to work more closely with the electricity grid and RTE, including generating electricity from gas, to ensure the security of the electricity supply. Our teams are working hard to provide reliable, frequent data on our gas capacity and consumption for all our stakeholders (public authorities, customers, etc.).”