Previously abandoned, the Stork II interconnection project would be an attempt to replace Russian gas at the time of an energy crisis that has hit Europe in the wake of Moscow's invasion of Ukraine in February. The idea to revitalise the undertaking came after the Polish and Czech prime ministers met in April this year.
Warsaw and Prague believe that a joint request would have a larger chance of approval from the EU's REPower funds meant for ending the continent's dependence on Russian energy.
“We are jointly taking forward-looking actions that benefit both business and citizens,” Poland’s Climate and Environment Minister Anna Moskwa said on Friday. “Our undertakings are a real and concrete contribution to the EU’s energy security," she added.
The plan also includes connecting the Czech Republic to Polish liquefied natural gas (LNG) terminals.
“A direct connection to Polish LNG terminals will allow us to secure gas supplies to our territory from suppliers other than Russian," Czech Industry Minister Jozef Sikela said in a statement.
"In addition, this interconnection will lead to a reduction in the cost of gas transportation, and therefore the final price for consumers," he added.
The pipeline, which would run from Bezměrov in the Czech Republic to Kędzierzyn in Poland, is expected to launch in 2026.
The two countries are now connected by the Stork pipeline which has low capacity and only allows for flows in one direction, from the Czech Republic to Poland.
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Source: PAP, Reuters