France changes position and gave the green light to discuss the implementation of the MidCat gas pipeline with Spain, be rejected Emmanuel Macron Just a few weeks ago. In Paris, they ensured that the conversation was never interrupted, and they were willing to study their long-term viability.
“Discussions and dialogues are not interrupted, on the contrary”, Elysee sources have now confirmed to Efe after the Macron government assured earlier this month There is no need for a new gas interconnection between Spain and France.
These sources assure that this interconnection to Germany, France, Spain and Portugal via Catalonia is “related”, but not anytime soon. In this way, Elysee opened the door for this future gas pipeline.
[Bruselas se suma a Scholz: quiere el MidCat pero no aclara si para su construcción habrá fondos UE]
“We must persistOne Reflections on France and France-Spain never broken”according to Efe, these sources stressed, but it is necessary to look into what is needed in the future.
It must be remembered that last August andhe Chancellor of Germany, Olaf Schultz, agree One Pipelines to transport natural gas from Portugal via Spain and France Towards the rest of Europe to reduce the current reliance on Russian gas.
A 2019 project
Chinese cat project Parked in 2019 Because the French and Spanish network operators believe that this is unreasonable considering the cost and the profitability that can be obtained.
In recent months, due to the energy crisis caused by the invasion of Ukraine, Spain tries to restart the project Claims the need for an alternative source for the European market to close the Moscow tap at Nord Stream.
[EDITORIAL: Scholz pone la primera piedra del ‘South Stream 1’ ibérico]
France has so far believed that the infrastructure to transport gas from Spain to Central Europe would cost billions of euros. They also argue from Paris that two natural gas pipelines now exist between Spain and France They only use a little over 50% Capacity since the start of the Ukrainian war in February.
a) Yes, Spain, Germany and Portugal want to activate MidCat, But France stood in his way. The obvious fact is that the current situation, ie the shutdown of half of the nuclear power, and the future electricity price of more than 1,000 EUR/MWh in the French Republic, are very different. And worrying.
Major gas pipelines and large LNG storage sites
pumping
Currently, Spain has the ability to pump approx. 7 billion cubic meters (bcm) of gas Connected annually to northern Europe via Navarra (5.2 bcm) and the Basque Country (1.8 bcm).
The MidCat gas pipeline linking France and Spain through the Catalan Pyrenees used to be part of the European Commission’s list of projects of mutual interest until Paris and Madrid abandoned the project in 2019, will add about 7.5 bcmwith a total export capacity of about 15 billion cubic meters.
Spain wants to promote this infrastructure and secure European financing, which will help replace some of the gas it has purchased so far in Moscow, whose main customer is Germany (46 bcm in 2021). Teresa Ribera has expressed this, she promises Spanish part of the project Can be done in a few months.
Support from Germany
On August 11, the German Chancellor, Olaf Schultzpublicly relaunched the debate on building a gas pipeline that could connect the Iberian peninsula to Central Europe via France, showing that the infrastructure mentioned above is currently “Dramatically missing”.
Spain and Portugal followed suit with the statement.Third Vice President and Minister of Ecological TransitionTheresa Riveraand the President of the Portuguese Government, Anthony Costaquickly joined the German proposal.
Just a few days later, so did Pedro Sánchez, who found himself receiving a resounding “no” from France. Now, Elysee is back in touch Faced with what is expected to be a lengthy and complex energy crisis for thousands of households and businesses.
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