Lubmin (energate) - Deutsche Regas has received an exemption from access regulation for the planned LNG terminal in Lubmin. The exemption applies to an annual throughput capacity of up to 13.5 bcm of natural gas for a limited period of 20 years, as announced by the company and the responsible Ruling Chamber 7 of the Federal Network Agency. In contrast to the so-called federal FSRUs, the costs for the LNG terminal German Baltic Sea are financed solely by the operator Deutsche Regas and not additionally from tax revenues. In this respect, the exemption from regulation is to a special extent also a safeguard for the economic operation of the terminal, Regas emphasised.
According to European and German law, an LNG terminal is subject to tariff and network access regulation. There have already been a number of exemptions for projects planned on the German coast (
energate reported), but the one for Deutsche Regas has been passed in record time of
only three months. According to the company's planning, the first cancellation was to take place as early as 1 December. The LNG tanker Neptune is currently on its way to Lubmin, but is still moored off the coast of Denmark in Skagen. Only a week ago, the ship arrived in the UK from Egypt (Milford). Bets are already circulating in the industry as to whether the tanker will really be able to load in Germany on time or whether the first discharge will be delayed by one or two weeks.
LNG regulation sets framework
Deutsche Regas is planning an annual throughput capacity of at least 4.5 bcm in the first phase of the project. A year later, 7.0 bcm is to be added thanks to a second FSRU. By transferring the first unit from the coast to an offshore location, the capacity is to increase by another 2 bcm to a final 13.5 bcm. But despite the regulatory exemption, the LNG terminal operators are not allowed to act freely. The Regulation on the Regulatory Framework for LNG Facilities - LNGV for short - has been in force since 18 November. It lays down rules for determining charges, including, for example, that ten per cent of capacity must be reserved for short-term bookings. /mt
